Assassin's Creed: Zootopia
by LapisLucius42
Summary: What started as a murder investigation unraveled into something deeper. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves in the midst of a secret conflict that will affect life in Zootopia. Along the way, the two slowly realize just how gray the area truly is.
1. First Blood

**9/6/16: I feel much better for giving the Templars a species. Also, the conversations between them and the Assassin after the assassinations occur in eagle vision since there is no Animus simulation. Unity introduced that idea where the memories are seen after the assassinations. I tweaked it to where these conversations occurred instead since I enjoy those more in my opinion.**

* * *

Target: Male Raccoon

Occupation: Reporter for ZNN

Location: Downtown Zootopia

Time: Night

The Assassin, a male predator, sat on the top of a building, looking down below at the streets. He pulled his eyes away briefly to the open manila folder in his paws that contained a picture of a male raccoon. The raccoon is a renowned reporter for the Zootopia News Network, but he also carries a dark secret. The reporter is a member of the Templar Order and as a result, the Assassin marked him for death. But simply being a Templar was not the only reason. The Assassin learned of the raccoon's current investigation that warranted intervention. If the reporter were to the discovery, the Assassin, along with Zootopia, would be doomed. After days of tracking the target and making preparations, the circumstances were finally ripe. According to the schedule the Assassin procured, the raccoon is to be at his current location tonight. Finishing one last review, he closed the folder and waited patiently for the target to arrive.

At 12:08 AM, the raccoon finally appeared, and the Assassin climbed down from the building. On the ground, he began tailing the Templar from a safe distance. Night gave the Assassin a better environment to work in but made tails more difficult with almost no mammals around for him to hide in. Extra precautions were also taken since the Templar is also a nocturnal mammal. During the tail, a red light intersection forced the Assassin to stop briefly, but it lessened the chance of him being discovered. The light finally turned green for his lane a minute later and the Assassin crossed to the other side. In the middle of the intersection, lights shined brightly on him and he heard the sound of a screeching vehicle growing louder by the second. He snapped his head in the direction of the lights and sound to see a police cruiser fast approaching, trying to brake. The cruiser managed to stop just in time, almost hitting the Assassin.

A female voice was immediately heard from the cruiser. "Sorry about that!"

A male voice came soon after. "Me too. My partner wasn't focusing on the road!"

The Assassin raised his paw up to signal he was okay. "No worries!"

While walking away, he heard a conversation from inside the cruiser about the near collision with a pedestrian before the officers drove away. The Assassin smirked and chuckled at what he could hear but remained focus on the mission. Despite wanting to remain silent, not responding to the police would have drawn suspicion. Thankfully, the encounter did not scare off the raccoon. He hoped it caused the reporter to let his guard down by thinking the police stopped him for suspicious behavior. Eventually, the raccoon paused to check his current location. The Assassin stood across the street from him and feigned a phone call with his cell to avoid suspicion. The raccoon then entered a nearby alley and the Assassin soon followed.

At the alley entrance, he saw the reporter kneeling down to investigate the ground he stood on. While checking, the raccoon discovered a hidden sewer cover from knocking on the ground. Seizing the opportunity and realizing how close the Templar was to making the discovery, the Assassin quietly approached the raccoon and flicked his wrist, a blade appearing from the sleeve. Engulfed in his search, the reporter was unaware of the incoming danger as the distance closed between the two predators. When the raccoon stood up, he was suddenly seized from behind and felt a paw cover his mouth. Before the Templar could struggle, he grunted and felt something sharp enter his back abdominal area. The Assassin immediately released the raccoon and calmly stepped back with the blade covered in blood. The reporter grabbed his wound, gasping in pain as he had trouble standing up.

* * *

"I warned you to stay away and gave you ample reason to do so," The Assassin said. "You left me no choice."

"What difference would that make?" The raccoon said, breathing heavily from the wound as he clutched it. "You would have come after me regardless. Am I right?"

The Assassin remained silent.

"I thought so. I was never afraid of you, Assassin. I faced danger and threats throughout my career. The only difference was that you actually fulfilled your threat. I commend you for that."

"Even in low numbers, the Assassins are still a force to reckon with. It only takes one."

"You cannot stop the truth from getting out. All of Zootopia will know what happened here tonight, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You ironically helped me complete my last mission."

The Assassin leaned down closer to the Templar. "I'm not trying to stop the truth. I do this to send a message, to your Order and to Zootopia. This is only the beginning."

* * *

The predator watched the raccoon stumble out of the alley, weakly calling for help before encountering a female mink and falling over dead in front of her. The mink screamed at the sight and in a panic, saw the Assassin in the alley. She quickly hid nearby and reached for her phone to dial the police.

"911, what's your emergency?" The dispatcher answered.

"Hello...police?" Her breathing was heavy and frantic. "Someone's been murdered...and I think I'm next!"

"Calm down ma'am. What is happening now?"

She slowed her breathing enough to respond. "I'm currently hiding nearby the murder scene, but I don't know how long I'll be safe. Please send help right away! "

"Stay calm. Can you give us your location?"

The mink relayed her location.

"We're sending officers right away, ma'am. Stay hidden and remain on the line. Let us know if anything else happens."

The mink took a deep breath before responding. "Okay."

She remained calm and quiet but still fearful for her life. Moments passed and nothing else happened. The mink wondered why the Assassin did not pursue her since she witnessed the crime. Knowing the risks, the mink took a deep breath and looked in the alley. To her surprise and relief, the Assassin was gone.

Under the sewer cover, said mammal descended down the ladder into the tunnel and followed it to a dead end, hearing the incoming sirens on the way. There, the Assassin removed a block from the side wall to reveal a keyhole. He inserted the blade in the hole and jiggled until a mechanical noise sounded. The wall in front of him descended to reveal the hidden secret: a secret hideout. The wall hid the entrance after the Assassin entered. Inside, he walked to a board where pictures of Templars were posted all over Zootopia. With a marker, he crossed out the image of the raccoon reporter. At the computers, the Assassin accessed the traffic cameras to the location of the murder and the footage revealed the ZPD already on the scene. Sitting back in the chair, he sighed and watched the situation unfold.

"There's no turning back now."


	2. The Message

In Zootopia, anyone can be anything. But for a long time, the city did not always abide by that motto. The Night Howlers crisis exposed that reality and in the aftermath, the city launched a campaign to repair the damages caused by the crisis. Leading the efforts Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, the first bunny and the first fox officers on the force. Through their successes, Zootopia was truly becoming a place where anyone can be anything. The fear and prejudice against predators were frowned upon but still lingered. But when they lose ground in one area, they find another to be expressed. The issue itself and its lasting damages must be solved and healed over time with great effort.

To maintain the recent peace and prosperity and exemplify its motto, a corporation was established to have mammals come together and make technological and scientific advancements for the benefit of Zootopia. Naturally, a predator and prey were the founders and serve as the CEO and COO. The two named the corporation Depolitio, meaning perfection, for the purpose of perfecting the city. Within three years of its existence, the corporation became successful and the city blossomed.

Meanwhile, Judy and Nick's lives have changed for the better since that fateful encounter at the ice cream shop. Foiling Bellwether's plot and Nick joining the ZPD solidified their friendship. The two enjoyed their time as police partners and became the best duo on the force, using their combined skills and knowledge to solve numerous cases. Despite the popularity, Judy and Nick remained humble and preferred living the normal life; satisfied with breaking their own species' stereotypes.

Judy andNick wrapped up another case and reported their success to Chief Bogo. They sat in the same chair in front of the buffalo while he looked over their recent accomplishment.

Bogo finally placed down the documents down and removed his reading glasses. "Hopps, Wilde, congratulations. Another case solved and another job well done. There was no doubt in my mind of your capabilities."

"Thank you, Chief." Judy smiled.

"Anything else you have for us?" Nick asked.

"One last thing: you can either perform nighttime patrol or fill out your reports for this case."

A smirk appeared on Nick's face when hearing the options. "Hmm, it is a difficult choice. Be stuck in a cubicle doing paperwork or be stuck in a cruiser while taking in the nightlife."

Bogo huffed. "Keep that up and you'll end up on parking duty. I'm sure you two share fond memories of it." He continued to glare at him as Nick kept a straight face.

Judy shook her head. _Dumb Fox_. While outwardly annoyed at Nick's endeavor to get on Bogo's nerves, she secretly enjoyed his wit because it brightens her day whenever she was feeling down.

"We'll go on patrol, Chief," Judy said. "We could use a break from these cases."

"Very well, here's the area. You can turn in your reports tomorrow morning before noon." Chief Bogo assigned them the location. "Now get out."

Judy quickly jumped off the chair and yanked Nick out of the office before he could respond. The sudden pull caused Nick to yelp. Once they were walking away, Nick yanked his arm out of Judy's grip and started massaging it.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Because the last thing I need is for you to push too many of the Chief's buttons. Again."

His smirk returned. "Does he have a self-destruct button?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Let's just go already."

They exited the building and went to their police cruiser. Judy and Nick entered the vehicle and drove to their assigned location. The two arrived and began their patrol.

"Another day at the office." She said.

Nick leaned against the window. "Yep, but I don't mind if the city becomes quiet for a while."

His comment caused Judy raised her eyebrow. "Oh, getting bored of being a police officer now?"

"No, but these recent cases haven't brought much excitement. Don't get me wrong. We take on some excellent ones, but the Night Howlers did set the bar a little high. It just would be nice to solve another big mystery again."

"I feel you, but sadly those cases are few and far. Especially with how well the city is currently."

"Such a shame." Nick pulled out a pawpsicle and licked the frozen treat.

* * *

There were small differences between the day and night patrols. At night, crime increased slightly with fewer witnesses around and are harder to detect under the cover of darkness for officers without night vision or other strong senses.

During Judy and Nick's patrol, there was currently little action going on. Soon, boredom began to overtake Nick and he let out a loud groan.

"Honestly," The fox said. "I thought patrolling at night would at least be different from the day. I'd rather be doing paperwork back at the office right now."

"Aren't you foxes nocturnal?" Judy said. "This is normally when you are active."

"Yes, but normally I'm doing something else with my night."

"You agreed to do this remember?"

Nick smiled mischievously, deciding to have a little fun with Judy to alleviate the boredom. "No, you agreed for us if I recall correctly. I had no say in the matter."

That made Judy upset and caused her to be distracted while driving. "Honestly Nick, I can't believe the nerve of you saying-"

"Watch out!" Nick yelled, quickly sitting up and pointing in front of them.

Judy snapped her head forward to see a mammal crossing the street. She immediately hit the brakes, causing the police cruiser to skid and barely missing the mammal at the last second. The two officers hurriedly rolled their windows down to check the pedestrian.

"Sorry about that!" Judy apologized.

"Me too. My partner wasn't focusing on the road!" Nick yelled.

"No worries!" A male voice responded and safely crossed the street.

"Carrots if you're trying to prove the notion of bunnies being bad drivers wrong, you sure are doing a terrible job at it."

Judy let out a loud growl at his remark and punched Nick's shoulder hard.

"OW!" Nick grabbed his shoulder to massage the pain and was met with Judy's glare.

"You were distracting me so that means you were responsible as well!" The bunny yelled.

"Hey, you should be thanking me for spotting the mammal! Otherwise, this night would have been disastrous!"

Judy groaned and plopped her head on the steering wheel. "Nicholas Wilde, I swear you are the worst!"

Nick simply smirked while reclining in the seat. "I know, but that's why you like working with me."

Judy's anger slowly faded from Nick's humor and she couldn't help smiling. The bunny knew that he liked teasing her. Yet despite trying to anticipate him, she still falls for it. "Alright, I admit this would have disastrous had you not warned me."

"And I probably went too far with my words," Nick conceded. "I blame the boredom that overcame me."

"No doubt. At least something exciting happened during our patrol."

"I don't deny that."

* * *

The two continued their patrol and took turns driving when one got sleepy until completing their rounds. On the return trip to the Precinct, the cruiser's radio went off. "All units, all units, please respond. We have a 187." The night shift dispatcher gave the location of the police code in Downtown.

"187? Homicide?" Nick said.

"We were just in that area too." Judy picked up the radio and responded to the call. "This is Officer Hopps accompanied by Officer Wilde. We are en route."

Judy turned the cruiser around and sped to the location of the homicide. Upon their arrival, officers had already closed off the area. While approaching the crime scene, Nick and Judy heard their names being called and saw an officer motioning for them. The two quickly walked over to the officer.

"What is it?" Judy asked.

"Chief wants you two to do the sweep until forensics arrive. He says he'll make the assignments tomorrow but wants an initial investigation done immediately."

The two nodded and entered the crime scene where they saw Chief Bogo waiting for them.

"Chief, what do we have?" Judy asked.

"The victim is a male raccoon. He has a small but fatal wound in his back. We suspect it was a sneak attack from inside the alley but have no further details. There is a female mink who saw the crime and called it in."

"Can we see the raccoon?" Judy asked.

Chief pointed in the direction. "Right over there."

Judy and Nick saw the body lying face down near the wall. With forensics still on their way, the body was exposed for them to see. They saw the wound and blood stain upon closer inspection. Despite seeing more gruesome sights, Judy never got fully desensitized from seeing a corpse and cringed at the sight. Nick, though, had seen corpses on occasion during his hustler days whenever deals go south or betrayal occurs. Compared to others, this was mild for him.

"Wow," Judy said in astonishment. "You wouldn't even notice until it was too late."

"That's the point," Nick said. "This type of murder is meant to be committed unnoticed."

"But it doesn't explain why the culprit would leave the victim out in the open."

"Chief does suspect the crime occurring in the alley so the intention may have for it to remain hidden. Unfortunately for the culprit, it failed spectacularly."

Judy and Nick then visited the mink, who was currently with the Chief. Bogo was trying to calm the mink but with no success. He turned around to see Judy and Nick approaching and the citizens gathering around the scene.

"Hopps, Wilde, will you please take her witness statement. I have to keep the crowds away."

"Sure thing Chief," Nick said.

Bogo then left Judy and Nick with the mink.

Judy knelt down in front of the mink and spoke in an assuring tone. "Ma'am, I know this was very hard for you to experience, but we can't help unless you tell us what you saw."

The mink still had difficulty calming down.

"Maybe a pawpsicle will help?" Nick offered.

Judy snapped her head at him. "Nick!"

But the mink meekly grabbed the pawpsicle and took a few licks, eventually calming down.

"See, I told you," Nick smirked as he pulled out his old pawpsicle. "I'm going to check the body again in case we missed anything."

Judy glared at him before focusing back on the mink. "Will you be able to tell us what happened now?" She had her notepad and carrot pen ready to write down the information.

The mink took a deep breath but still stared at the ground. "I was walking to my home when I passed by the alley. The raccoon suddenly stumbled out and grabbed me, asking for help before collapsing on the sidewalk." The mink became more frantic as she continued. "When I saw the blood on his back, I got scared!"

Judy noticed the sudden behavior change. "Shhh, relax. Did you see anything else? Perhaps the mammal responsible?"

She took a deep breath and slowly calmed down. "I looked in the alley and saw the killer. Standing there. Watching me. I quickly hid and called the police, but I was still in danger for being a witness. When the mammal didn't appear, I took the risk to check. I just had to know why the killer didn't pursue me. Fortunately, the mammal was gone."

"That was very brave of you." Judy complimented, placing a paw on the mink's shoulder. "Can you describe the appearance? This will help with the investigation."

"I couldn't see well since it was dark, but from where I was looking, the mammal appeared to be medium sized, was wearing a hood, and had a long tail."

Judy wrote down the crucial details. "Anything else you can tell us?"

She shook her head.

Judy stood back up. "Thank you for your cooperation, ma'am. We'll find out who did this. Keep the pawpsicle."

She went to Nick who was inspecting the body. "She didn't say specific, but there are enough details to narrow down the list. Did you find anything?"

Nick held out his treat. "Hold my pawpsicle."

Judy took the frozen snack while Nick puts on a glove and carefully padded down the body.

Moments later, he pulled out a white feather stained with blood from the location of the wound. "An odd place for a feather to be. How often do you see birds in Zootopia?"

Judy vehemently shook her head, "No, that's impossible! The mink said she saw a mammal with a long tail."

"Then this must the culprit's mark."

"If so, then why? What's the point of doing that?"

"I don't know." Nick puts the feather in an evidence bag. "But we should be careful."

Judy suddenly had a terrifying thought. "Nick, you don't think that mammal we almost hit on our patrol earlier could be the culprit? The mink described seeing a hood and a long tail. We saw those two features on that mammal."

Nick pondered her words until his ears lowered from that thought. "I hope not. But what are the chances?"

The forensics team finally arrived to perform a proper analysis. Nick handed over the feather to the team, who were grateful for the officer's caution and care. The ZPD and forensics finished the investigation and cleaned up the crime scene. The body was moved to the morgue and all the evidence was taken back to the station. Because the crime occurred late at night and most officers had already gone home, Chief Bogo decided to make the announcement tomorrow morning.

* * *

Judy and Nick entered Precinct One the next morning, ready to solve last night's murder. With a few minutes to spare before roll call, they stopped for a chat with their favorite cheetah at the reception desk, who had just consumed another doughnut.

"Morning Clawhauser!" Judy greeted.

He heard her voice and turned to them. "Hey you two! How are you both doing?"

"Ready to tackle the crime from last night!" She said enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Chief was not happy being called out before clocking out."

"Well," Nick said amusingly. "It looks I have competition on who can get on the Chief's nerves."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Come on, we have to get to the bullpen before we're late and upset him even more. Catch you later Ben!"

"Nice talking to you both!" Clawhauser said, waving at them.

Inside the bullpen, the officers were discussing last night's murder. Judy and Nick quietly sat in their seat and listened to the conversations around them. Some voicing their excitement while others voicing the concerns. The chatter finally stopped when Chief Bogo entered the room. The officers sat in silence as he walked up to the podium, given the seriousness of the crime.

"Alright. As you know by now, there was a murder committed last night. Currently, the body is at the morgue for identification. Unfortunately, there was little evidence recovered to identify the culprit but there are still have enough to work with. Thanks to Officer Wilde, we now have an important lead that will bring the culprit to justice."

Nick smiled. "Why thank you Chief. It's nice of you to recognize an officer's contribution."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

While not the reaction he wanted, Nick still considered it a win-win.

Bogo revealed a picture of the blood-stained feather. "This feather was found on the victim. Forensics is currently analyzing for its origins. Though I doubt they'll find anything conclusive about the culprit since it's the victim's blood on the feather. Again, we still have something to work with. Given the circumstances, there are several tasks that must be completed before we can properly take action against the mammal. For now, it will be the usual assignments. While doing so, I want you to contain the growing panic. This incident has already received enough publicity as it is. " He put on his reading glasses.

"Fangmeyer and Delgato. Robbery incident at a store in Downtown."

The tigress and lion retrieve their file and left the room.

"Grizzoli and Wolfard. Street racers near a university."

The two Timberwolves did the same.

"Higgins and Snarlof. Car accident in Savanna Central."

The rest of the officers got either patrol or other assignments. After they left, only Bogo, Nick, and Judy were left alone in the bullpen. The fox and the bunny already suspecting what their assignments would be.

"Alright Chief," Judy said. "What do we need to do?"

"Glad you asked Wilde," Bogo flipped a page on the clipboard. "You need to compile a list of suspects from the given descriptions. Retrieve the results from forensics. And finally, check the footage from the traffic cams for additional evidence."

Nick let out a long whistle. "We got our work cut out for us."

"Indeed," Bogo said. "Someone mammal's trying to leave a mark. We'll make sure it's on the ZPD records. Dismissed."

Bogo was out of the room, leaving Nick and Judy behind.

"Did he just try to crack a joke?" Nick asked, exasperated.

"Don't know. Don't care," Judy said, not wanting to waste time. "Let's get to work.

* * *

Judy and Nick first checked the footage of the crime scene for more clues to the culprit. Judy searched through the traffic cams while Nick stood by and watched.

"Here we go," Judy said as she found the traffic camera and played it. "Now to see what we can find."

Night made it difficult to make out clear images. The footage revealed the raccoon coming into view and entering the alley. The culprit then appeared, crossing the street and into the alley. There was no action until the moment when the mink encountered the raccoon. The culprit did not come out from the alley the entire recording.

"Strange," Judy said. "Forensics didn't find any trace of the culprit during the investigation."

"That's the mark of a professional right there," Nick said. "Getting away with murder is no easy task, especially around a witness. I'm surprised our assailant here didn't come after her."

"Do you know or see anyone like that?"

Nick shook his head. "These mammals are well hidden. The only reason you encounter them is because you attracted someone's attention or theirs."

"I can't imagine what the raccoon did to deserve this." She turned her attention back to the screen. "Hopefully we discover something important."

Judy rewinded the footage for the best possible angle of the culprit. Once the image was found, she zoomed in on the culprit, but the hood kept the features well hidden outside the witness's description.

"It's no good," Judy said. "We can't see anything with the hood on."

"Not exactly," Nick pointed to the figure. "Look at the outfit. It's not your standard hoodie. The hood is attached to the rest of the attire. It could be a trench coat or a robe."

Judy looked at the attire and understood Nick. "You're right. If we can get a closer look at the attire, we can find out the manufacturer."

"That's where our footage comes in."

"Let me find our dashboard cam." She pulled up a different tab and searched through footage until finding theirs.

"Okay, let's see if it's our mammal," Judy said.

They watched until the moment of the near collision. Judy and Nick saw the mammal jump backwards as a precaution from almost being hit.

"Wow, I'm impressed that we didn't hit him," Nick said.

"Now for a better look," Judy said while zooming in. "We just need to see the appearance."

The lights from the cruiser revealed much of the appearance and confirmed the similarities.

"The appearances definitely match," Nick said. "Can we assume we let a crime-in-progress occur?"

Judy slowly began to panic and her nose started twitching. "Calm down Judy. Other mammals could be dressed the same. Just need to see where this one goes."

She returned to the traffic cameras and browsed for their cruiser. After locating it, they followed it until the encounter. From there, they followed the mammal, hoping to deny their worst suspicions.

Judy's eyes widened when the mammal entered the alley at the crime scene. "We just let a crime-in-progress occur."

"Come on Carrots. How could we have known?"

Judy remained frozen, staring at the screen."Chief Bogo is not going to like this."

Nick turned her face to him, wanting to reassure her. "Hey Judy, look at me. Chief Bogo doesn't need to about this okay?"

Judy immediately snapped out of her trance and nodded. "R-right. He doesn't."

"That's my partner." He released her face. "Now where were we?"

"We were going to check the attire for the manufacturer."

Judy returned to the still image of the culprit on their dash cam. The two inspected the attire for anything significant.

Judy became frustrated. "Ugh! He backed away just enough to avoid us seeing any logo!"

"Again, not all is lost." Nick pointed to the figure again. "Look at the clothing style. Where in Zootopia do you find one of those?"

Judy looked at the frame and realized the same thing. "Nowhere, so it must be custom made. If we can get a sample of the material,"

"We can track down whoever is making them."

Judy looked at Nick with admiration. "Clever fox."

"Why thank you. And don't forget. We know the gender too, remember?"

Judy remembered hearing the mammal speak in a male voice when they apologized. "Perfect! Now we can begin identifying the suspects."

"You get started on that. I'll run by forensics to see if the results are ready."

Judy nodded and got to work while Nick left to get the results. A short time later, the fox returned to their office. Judy heard Nick approaching and turned around to see him with a folder in possession.

"Are those the results from forensics?" Judy asked.

"Yep. It wasn't much so that's why they came back quicker than usual."

Judy took the folder and spent a few moments looking at the results.

"Hmm. Just as the Chief said. The blood belonged to the victim and no other DNA was detected." Judy then looked at the results on the feather.

"According to this," Nick said. "The species is an eagle. But since the blood makes it hard to determine the type. They're still looking into it."

"It still makes our assignment easier. We don't have to search the thousands of mammals traveling in and out of Zootopia."

"I'm sure that would have been fun. By the way, we still need to finish that report from last night. Why don't you work on the list of suspects while I finished that up." Nick proposed.

"Are you sure?"

Nick nodded, "Positive. I should be finished before the noon deadline."

"Thanks Nick," Judy smiled and then began working on the list.

The two spent the entire morning working on their respective tasks. Nick kept an eye on the clock to make sure he had enough time to turn in last night's report. He managed to finish with enough time to submit.

After turning in the report, Nick returned to his and Judy's desk to see two large stacks near the bunny which he assumed to be the list of suspects. The fox stared in disbelief at the size.

"You can't be serious right?"

"I am," Judy said, already searching through the list. "And this is after we narrowed it down from the footage, the gender, and forensics."

Nick pinched the bridge of his snout and sighed. "This is going to be a long day." He looked at the large stack of papers again. "Maybe a long week."

* * *

Target: Female Leopard

Occupation: Professor of History and Archaeology

Location: University of Zootopia

Time: Day…One Week Later

She is a long-time professor and well-known in her field. Being a predator was not an obstacle on her path to success. The leopard's expertise in history and archaeology has proven valuable to the Zootopia's collection of knowledge. But she is also a Templar. During her sabbaticals and vacations, the leopard delivered important information to the Order and assisted with their projects. At the same time, she subtly indoctrinates the Templar ideology into her students and to an extent, her colleagues.

Unlike the reporter, the Assassin had more time to prepare the assassination but was also under more pressure to carry it out. The pressure came from the Templars learning of the raccoon's death. It will certainly cause them to take measures in adjusting their plans and making it difficult for the Assassin to carry out more assassinations.

With knowledge of the leopard's schedule, he patiently waited outside the building where she was currently holding a class. Finally, the leopard was spotted leaving the building, having finished the class and was returning to her office. Knowing the path, the Assassin was on the move and focused on when to strike. While he preferred to make the kill outside, the leopard was safe as long as she remained out in the open and away from others and once the feline was inside, it would be near impossible to make the kill. Also at this particular time of day, the flow of students was slow. After assessing the situation, the Assassin made a last minute decision.

While walking, the Templar leopard noticed several mammals wearing hoods. She almost assumed the worst but remembered that the university sold those type of jackets. Still, the feline remained cautious and avoided eye contact unless spoken to directly. Many of her students and fellow faculty either stopped or joined her walk to have a conversation. The leopard made the effort to avoid idling around too long when stopping. Soon, her building appeared in sight and she let out a sigh of relief. But this caused her to lower her guard as the leopard failed to notice the single occupant sitting on the bench near the building. While rushing by the bench, the leopard was suddenly grabbed by the occupant and felt something sharp go inside her abdomen. The Assassin carefully placed the leopard on the bench and carefully released her, revealing a bloodied blade.

* * *

The leopard clutched her wound and looked up at the Assassin. "You? I thought we destroyed you."

"A shame this must happen to a feline. I take no pleasure in taking killing my own."

"I knew the reporter's death was no random incident." She coughed in pain. "Your little campaign will destroy Zootopia."

"Just like how you are destroying the youth of Zootopia?"

"Is that what you think?" The leopard scoffed. "You truly are short-minded as they say."

"You are encouraging the youth you teach to persecute others for simply having differences!" He rebuked.

"Differences are the reason for why Zootopia still has troubles. Only look around to see what arises from them. The destruction resulting from the tensions between predator and prey. It would no longer exist in the new Zootopia."

"While I agree on that point, it doesn't make it right to persecute others. Differences are what make Zootopia unique in the first place. It should be celebrated, not suppressed."

The leopard only laughed. "You'll see how true your words are in time, but by then, it will be too late for you to realize that." She exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin stained a white feather with the leopard's blood.

* * *

Meanwhile…

"Nick. Nick, get up."

The fox moaned as he awoke from his slumber to see Judy standing next to him. "Is it time to go home yet?"

"It's only ten in the morning."

Nick plopped his head back on the desk. "Wake me up when it's our break."

"Nick, you know we're supposed to be looking over the files on the suspects."

He sighed heavily while bringing his head back up. "Why did Bogo have to assign us the case?"

"Because he knows our capabilities and will give us a promotion when we succeed. We both agreed to this remember." Judy quickly continued before Nick could protest. "And no, I didn't speak for you. Let remind you that you happily jumped at the opportunity. A pretty rare sight for him and me." Judy smiled at the last part.

"Are you sure that wasn't you, Carrots?" That remark earned him a punch in the shoulder, which was enough to jolt him awake. "Ow, okay!"

"But you are right about me being excited about the promotion, I just wanted to remind you of your similar reaction. Anyways, with most of the preparations done, it should be easier from here."

Nick furrowed his brow. "Do you really think that, Carrots?"

Judy's ears drooped. "Okay maybe not, but still."

Nick reclined back in his chair. "If you want my progress report, none of the mammals I looked into so far have a criminal record. What about you?"

Judy sighed heavily. "Nothing. There's really little to go on. Are you sure you don't know anyone who could tell us about the culprit?"

"Fluff, I already told you. No one I know has encountered or even seen this mammal. Whoever we are dealing with is very selective in making contact."

"We'll just have to keep searching then and note the possible candidates."

Nick put his paws on his face. "Ugh, not even a promotion is not keeping me from wanting to pull my fur out."

Judy did her best to reassure him. "I know it's been a week since the incident, but we can't let this case get cold. Something will pop up soon that will help."

During their conversation, police officers ran by in a hurry. Judy and Nick wondered what was going on and stopped one of them.

"Wolford, what's going on?" Judy inquired.

The Timberwolf was breathing heavily from running. "We just got a call for a murder at the University of Zootopia."

The news shocked Judy and Nick as Wolfard continued on.

"Do you think it's the same mammal?" Nick asked.

"Only one way to find out," Judy jumped off the chair and made for the door. "Come on."

At the crime scene, Judy spoke with the witnesses and Nick inspected the body with the forensics team while the Chief and the other officers kept the spectators away. Judy spoke with Nick after interviewing the witnesses.

"It's definitely similar the first one except with more witnesses this time. From their description, the culprit was sitting on this bench when the leopard passed by. The culprit got up, grabbed, and set her down on the bench before walking away. The students came investigating when they saw the leopard not moving and discovered the murder. They gave the same description of the appearance." She looked up at Nick after reading her notes. "What did you find?"

Nick took his aviators off. "The wound here is the same except the entry point was from the front. It must have happened when the culprit grabbed her. Forensics also found this." He revealed a white feather stained with blood in an evidence bag. "This is more than just a random act. Whoever is doing this must have more targets. We better watch out in the future."

"Hopps. Wilde."

The two saw Chief Bogo approaching them.

"Did you find anything of significance?"

Nick showed the blood-stained feather.

"So it isn't a coincidence then." Chief sighed and resigned himself to the fact. "The public must not know about the connection. Understand?"

Judy and Nick both nodded.

"Now gather the evidence and continue your investigation."

They nodded. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Judy grunted as she finished researching the next suspect on the list. "Another dead end."

Nick huffed. "Now you know how I felt earlier when you interrupted my nap."

"You're not supposed to sleep on the job anyways."

Nick shrugged his shoulders and returned to his share of the work.

Judy continued to review the profiles of the victims when she noticed a particular connection. "Interesting."

"You got something, Carrots?"

She turned to face Nick. "It's a hunch, but I noticed that both victims are predators."

Nick's ear perked at her words and faced Judy. "So you think our killer is targeting predators? That's a bit of a stretch considering there are only two incidents so far."

"I know, but it could be a possible motive."

Nick hesitated. "I guess, but we need more evidence. Right now there's isn't much."

"You're right," Judy sighed. "It just bothers me that there is still prejudice against predators. I mean we both proved the Night Howlers were responsible for them going savage."

"You got to remember that this doesn't go away overnight, Carrots. Take me for example. I still get prejudice remarks for being a fox even three years after we saved the city. That and flashing my police badge only keeps the trouble at bay."

"Well when we do catch this murderer, I'm going to find out the motive. No one, predator or prey, deserves this."

Nick smiled at her energy. "It's that optimism is why I enjoy being your partner."

His compliment made Judy smile too. "What would you do without me?"

They both returned to their work after the exchange.

* * *

Target: Male Camel

Occupation: Lawyer

Location: Law Firm in Sahara Square

Time: Dusk…Ten days later

He is one of the most prolific lawyers in Zootopia and the most sought after for difficult cases. His non-bias when selecting cases made him even more favorable, resulting in both predator and prey vying for him. But few knew of his secret. Underneath all the praise and reputation, the lawyer was a Templar. Most involved settling the dispute and controversy for the Order. The remaining cases were used as a cover to hide the true motives.

Perched on top of the law firm, the Assassin waited for the camel to exit the building. Same with the leopard, he had more preparation but even more pressure to carry the assassination. The camel is certain to have learned of his two colleagues' deaths and will take extra precautions to avoid that same fate. Since the previous assassinations occurred on the ground, the Assassin decided to change tactics and perform one from above, hoping to catch his target by surprise.

When the time came for the lawyer to leave, he did not appear. Overtime, being held up at work, possibly taking an alternate escape, and other reasons flooded the Assassin's mind. Not taking any chances and wanting to investigate much of the possibilities, the Assassin concentrated his thoughts at the exit until his view changed. With his field of vision tinted, he saw a trail highlighted on the back side of the building. "Gotcha." His eyes followed the trail until seeing a figure glowing in yellow. "There you are."

The Assassin returned his vision to normal and pursued his target. He traversed the rooftops and slowed down once he caught up to his target. The Assassin noticed the camel's erratic behavior while walking: occasionally glancing at his surroundings, seemingly dropping his belongings before looking around afterward, the slow increase of walking speed. "He knows that I'm coming for him." A bus drove by their location and with that, the camel began running after it. "Shoot! I better get to him before he gets on!"

The journey from his office to the bus stop was agonizing for the camel. Fear of his death grew into paranoia and slowly got the better of him. Seeing his bus passing by momentarily snapped him back to reality. Now he could run without looking like a fool. The fear caused the camel barely making it to the bus stop and be last in line. He kept looking around, anxiously waiting to enter the bus. The line moved slowly as the passengers paid their fee and found their place to sit or stand.

With each passing second, the camel's paranoia began to show, twitching at the slightest disturbance and drawing eyes from the passengers off and on the bus. After what felt like an eternity, the camel finally reached the doors with the bus pass out to pay the fare. Wasting no time, the camel stepped onto the bus when an eagle's screech was heard. His eyes widened in horror, and the next thing the camel knew, he was pounced to the ground and felt a blade enter his neck. The not so subtle attack drew immediate reactions.

"Someone call the police!"

The passengers screamed and the driver immediately closed the doors and stepped on the gas. The bus darted down the road to escape the immediate danger.

* * *

"I knew it was you." The camel grunted in pain. "Who else would it be?"

"I have to give credit where it's due. Your efforts to avoid me was a nice change of pace."

"It was worth the attempt. Even though I accept the inevitability of my fate, it does not mean I should readily embrace it."

"You know. If you weren't a Templar, I would actually admire your work and character." The Assassin admitted.

"So you take my life simply because of my allegiance as with the others? Is that your reason? A shameful, no, disgraceful one." The camel chastised.

"No," He denied. "I did it to spare Zootopia the suffering should your Order continue to live on."

"And how does that compare to the aftermath of my death? If your goal is to prevent suffering, then you still failed."

"Make no mistake. The suffering that will occur now pales in comparison to what your Order should bring upon Zootopia."

"A choice between the lesser of two evils it seems. A situation common in my field. But it's clear to me you have chosen to continue Zootopia's current problems. I hope you are satisfied with that." He exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin took a deep breath before staining a white feather with the camel's blood.

* * *

"Thank you for your time. We'll let you know if anything else comes up." Judy said.

Hoping to understand the motives behind the murders and identify a suspect, Judy and Nick decided to interview known associates of the two victims. Judy asked the questions while Nick protected her in case the associates got violent and also determined if they were lying. The two had spent the past ten days conduction interviews with little progress.

They exited the building and entered their police cruiser. Judy plopped her head on the steering wheel out of frustration as Nick reclined in his seat and put his paws behind his head.

Judy took out her notepad and crossed another name out. "Everyone we interviewed so far has said only praise for the victims. Which begs the question: why would someone want to kill them?"

"You don't enjoy success without making enemies. Even if they are hidden. Those predators probably burned a few bridges on their path to success. I wouldn't be surprised if they were involved in shady business along the way. Trust me."

"I do, except for the shady business part." Judy then decided to lighten the mood. "But since you don't know anybody who knows this mammal, I'm starting to have my doubts."

Nick gasped and feigned being hurt. "I can't believe you would say such a thing, Carrots. I told you I know everybody." But he became serious again. "Though I do admit on rare occasion I don't know someone, even rarer if they live in Zootopia."

"And how did you go about to know them?"

"By doing what we are doing now: ask around for information and using known connections. No matter how long it takes, the end reward is worth it. Personally, it's a matter of pride. How can I claim to know everyone if I don't?"

"I didn't know you heard a personal streak." Judy said curiously.

Before Nick could respond, their police radio suddenly buzzed and a familiar but frantic voice of Clawhauser was heard. "Dispatch to all available units, we have 187 in Sahara Square." He quickly gave the location.

Judy and Nick looked at each other and nodded.

"Time to find out more about our mysterious culprit," Judy said.

She revved up the cruiser and they hurried to Sahara Square. There, the officers had blocked off the area and were redirecting the traffic. Judy and Nick approached the line of officers and were let through after being recognized. As with the previous scenes, Judy spoke with the witnesses while Nick inspected the body with forensics. The same distinctions are there with a few important exceptions.

"Either this mammal is getting bolder or is sending a message," Judy said. "Multiple witnesses saw the culprit descend from above and murder the victim. Before that, they heard an eagle's screech. Some claimed to a silhouette of an attacking eagle before the camel's death. This still doesn't explain the feathers."

"The culprit is definitely sending a message," Nick revealed another bloodstained white feather. "And it's not just the feathers being left behind. We can throw out the motive of predators being targeted, the victim being a prey proves that anyone in Zootopia can be next. Predator or Prey. Male or Female. Whoever is doing this must either be sadistic or has ulterior motives."

"I was really hoping that wasn't the case."

The two turned around to see the Chief standing behind them with his hooves crossed.

Bogo could only shake his head. "So much for keeping this quiet."

* * *

 **While the debate over Delgato, a lion, and Fangmeyer, a tigress, seems to have cleared, there is still debate over Grizzoli being a white wolf or a polar bear as far as I know. For this story, he is a white wolf. The rest will remain as they have been named during roll call.**


	3. Politics

**Note: Until they meet, the Assassin will be referred as the killer or whatever the media names him to Judy and Nick in their conversations since they along with the rest of Zootopia do not know about both Orders just yet because of their secret nature.**

* * *

 _"Good morning, Zootopia. I'm Fabienne Growley."_

 _"And I'm Peter Moosebridge."_

 _"The most recent attack has confirmed that a serial killer is currently targeting predators and prey. Three mammals have died so far in this spree and the motive behind their deaths has remained unclear. The only clue is this white blood-stained feather found on the most recent victim according to eyewitnesses." A picture of the feather was shown on television. "The ZPD has recently confirmed that the same feathers were also found on the other two victims. Chief Bogo has released a statement regarding the recent development,"_

 _"I represent the entire Zootopia Police Department when saying this. We vow to do everything in our power to bring this mammal to justice and will not be deterred by this individual's actions. Right now, we ask for your patience and trust as we work to stop this crime spree. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to be reckless stop this mammal yourselves. The individual is considered armed and extremely dangerous."_

The screen returned to the studio where Peter Moosebridge took the lead.

 _"In other news, the prey-predator company Depolitio has launched a campaign to stop the killings. They rightly believe that this mammal will undo all the progress made in bringing harmony to Zootopia and will revive the previous tensions between predators and prey. The company has gained approval from City Hall and joined forces with the government to increase the search efforts. This partnership has been well received and brought a renewed sense of hope among the citizens amidst the skepticism. This has been ZNN with your news."_

Bogo shut off the video on his computer he had been showing to Nick and Judy in his office and turned the screen back facing him.

The Chief covered his face with his hooves and sighed heavily. "Just when things couldn't get any worse."

Judy and Nick became confused at his statement.

"Excuse me Chief," Judy asked. "But I don't see the problem with having outside help, especially now that the killings growing big enough."

"That's not the issue, Hopps." He uncovered his face, revealing an unpleasing look. "Since the partnership formed, public opinion and support have turned more favorable to the company. This has subjected the ZPD to doubt and humiliation from lack of results. You may have noticed the more vocal critics outside the building and the tense atmosphere inside upon arrival this morning."

"Wow," Nick said in disbelief. "They really think a company is going to stop this," He used is paws in quotations for the next part. "White Feather Killer as the media has called it?"

"Apparently so. I don't know how Depolito has this much allure over them. If this keeps up, it won't be long before they and the citizens start demanding us to relinquish control of the case over to them. With support from the populace, I have no doubt City Hall will give in to their demands."

Enraged at the possibility, Judy immediately stood up on the chair and slammed her paw on Bogo's desk. "They can't do that! There's no way they can do that!"

Bogo slammed a hoof down and pointed the other at Judy in response. "SIT DOWN, HOPPS! And don't you ever slam my desk again while I'm in here!"

Realizing her mistake, Judy sat back down feeling guilty for the outburst. Nick placed his paw on her shoulder to comfort her.

"I hate that possibility as much as you do," Bogo continued in a calmer tone. "But there's nothing we can do to stop their campaign. It's within their rights."

Judy and Nick remained silent, but their expressions hid nothing.

"I understand your frustration. Everyone else feels the same. The best thing we can do right now is to lock this mammal away forever before the situation gets worse." Bogo gathered some files together on his desk. "Now go on over to the bullpen. I have important information pertaining to the case that the rest of force must hear. Dismissed."

Judy and Nick saluted the Chief and exited his office. On the way, they observed the tense atmosphere in Precinct One. Officers were frustrated but remained professional to further avoid ruining the ZPD's image. The only positive was that the media paid more attention to Depolitio than the ZPD, allowing the officers to continue their work. Even then, those out on patrol or doing field work still received negative attention from the citizens according to their reports.

Once out of range, Judy grabbed her ears and released her frustration. "UGH! I can't believe this!"

"Calm down, Carrots!" Nick said, trying his best to alleviate his partner's frustration.

"How can one mammal cause so much fear to all of Zootopia?"

"You act like it's never happened before."

Judy glared at Nick and pointed a finger at him. "That's not the point. This mammal has made a fool of the ZPD and is toying with us. Worst of all, we're losing support from the citizens!"

"I realize that, but running around and shouting to the heavens won't help us."

Judy sighed, having finally calmed down. "There must be something we are not looking at. Something right under our noses."

"Look at the bright side. Chief must have a breakthrough if he ordered us to the bullpen."

"Hopefully. My parents are panicking over this and have been begging me to return home until this is over! Not they have already been doing that."

In the room, the officers were not their rowdy behavior. It was a rare day of silence before Bogo enters as even Judy and Nick, who are normally talkative, remained silent. Chief Bogo finally entered and every officer gave him their undivided attention. He noticed the silence before entering and knew they needed some good news.

"Alright, I understand this frustrating for all of us, but we must remain professional. That is first and foremost. Neither this mammal nor the overwhelming support for a company will deter us. Our job is to protect and serve the citizens of Zootopia. We will continue our efforts to eliminate this threat. Second, all the bodies have been successfully identified and a connection was discovered. The victims are all high profile in their fields. This leads to my last point. Since the mammal appears to have criteria for the targets, I am assigning you in pairs to protect the potential targets. Clawhauser and I will be protecting Gazelle."

"So you finally admit your love for Gazelle huh?" Nick shouted, unable to contain himself after being silent for so long.

"Shut it, Wilde!"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the other officers quietly chuckled at the exchange, secretly thankful for Nick's humor to lighten the mood. Bogo quickly refocused the situation and began pairing up the officers and assigning the targets.

"Hopps, Wilde, you two are assigned to protect the reinstated Mayor Lionheart. Everything has already been arranged so all you have to do is report to him. Dismissed."

* * *

In his office, Leodore Lionheart was busy trying to contain the chaos caused by the Assassin. While a curse with the amount of negative response directed at City Hall and the ZPD, Lionheart considered it a small blessing with the killings being the main focus over matters for which he wished for more time to deliberate.

In the midst of his thoughts, he heard someone knocking on his door. "Come in!" Lionheart felt relieved when saw Judy and Nick enter. "Finally, the ZPD came to their senses and decided to send extra protection!"

Judy took a moment to clear her throat and gather the proper words, "Pardon me for asking Mayor, but don't you already have bodyguards?"

"Yes, but I feel more comfortable with the ZPD's best officers protecting me. That is why I personally requested you."

"Very flattering of you," Nick said, standing proudly.

Judy ignored the remark. "You have our word, Mayor. We won't let that mammal even breathe the same air as you."

"I'm counting on that. This is getting out of paw. Not even the Smellwether's plot was this chaotic!"

"What would you have us do?" Nick asked.

"Stay close, don't let anyone near me I don't allow, and perform a security check for those I do," He pointed and Judy and Nick looked in the direction to see a large desk set up with the files on the case. "I'm aware of your investigation so I made the necessary accommodations. I'll even allow you to ask me questions about the case. Within reason."

Judy breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they can continue their work while on guard duty. "Thank you for allowing us to continue our work, Mayor."

"Yeah," Nick said. "You don't want to see Hopps here cramped up in a room all day with nothing else to do. Trust me."

This earned him a punch in the shoulder and a glare from his partner.

"Alright enough fooling around!" Lionheart ordered. "I want to see progress on finding this killer!"

"Yes, Mayor!" Judy and Nick acknowledged.

* * *

Throughout the day, Judy and Nick followed Lionheart's orders in checking any visitors for danger while continuing their work at the desks. The procedure involves one collecting loose items and the other scanning the clothes with a metal detector. The items were then returned to the visitor after the scan was completed. Their interview with Lionheart revealed nothing suspicious and Nick could tell that Lionheart was truthful in his answers. Being arrested can change an individual for the better.

Fortunately, few visitors came to the office that day and they all were cleared of danger. Unfortunately for Nick and Judy, their work did not end at night.

"What do you mean we're not finished?!" Nick yelled, flabbergasted at the news.

"You heard me," Lionheart said, unfazed by the outburst. "I want you two to protect me at all times."

Judy had refrained from protesting for long enough. This was borderline insane. "Sir, is that really necessary? I know your life is potentially in danger, but do you not trust your own security to protect you in your home?"

"You're not the one being targeted here, Hopps!" Lionheart yelled.

"Excuse me Mayor, but you need to calm down!" Nick intervened. "She has a point. It's one thing to protect you at work, but at home? That's a little much."

"You don't understand. It's not a possibility I could be next! It's a certainty that I am next!"

The response set off red flags for Nick and Judy.

"What are you talking about?" Judy asked, curious to know more.

Lionheart realized his comment and quickly calmed down. "Sorry for my outburst. You must understand why I am paranoid about this."

"Clearly," Nick said unapologetically.

He and Judy still had their suspicions but filed them away for later.

"I do sincerely apologize for my behavior," Lionheart continued. "I know your services are already compensated, but I want to make it better."

Just then, a female kangaroo entered the room. "Pardon the interruption, but I must speak to you."

Lionheart recognized the kangaroo as one of his own but remained cautious. "Before you speak, Hopps, Wilde."

"Yes, Mayor." Judy begrudgingly said as she readied the metal detector.

"Sorry about this," Nick said as he gathered the bin.

The kangaroo smiled and waved a paw, "You're only doing your job, officers."

The marsupial removed any loose items on her and placed them in the bin Nick was holding. Judy then scanned her with the metal detector. Except for the metal parts on her attire, the kangaroo was clear.

"She's good," Judy said.

"Please continue," Lionheart said.

The kangaroo nodded. "Sir, you can't remain out of public eye forever. It will send a bad message to the citizens."

Lionheart narrowed his eyes at her, "You know very well why I am doing this." He said sternly.

"Yes, Mayor. But understand that if this behavior continues, the citizens will realize even the mayor is afraid. when that happens, they'll call for a new one. Someone who is not afraid and will do everything to stop this mammal."

There was a brief pause to let the kangaroo's words sink in.

"You make a good point there," Lionheart conceded. "I must show that Zootopia's leaders do not fear this mammal. I'll do something, but it must be cautious."

"The ZPD will gladly assist you." Judy quickly offered. "I can guarantee you their full support."

"We want this mammal caught and locked away forever as much as you do," Nick added.

"I'm glad to hear that. I will discuss this with the rest of the council, the ZPD, and Depolitio." He looked back at the kangaroo. "Please arrange a meeting tomorrow and notify the other members, the Precinct Chiefs, and the company's CEO and COO."

"Yes, Mayor." The kangaroo exited the room.

When the three were alone again, Judy looked back at Lionheart with hope in her eyes, "So does this mean we can go home?"

"No," Lionheart put his paw up and continued before they could protest. "Please, I beg of you. Just for tonight. I'll even make your stay comfortable, and you can still continue your work."

Wanting this to end, they finally gave in.

"We'll do it," Judy said reluctantly.

"At least I can cross that off my bucket list," Nick said.

* * *

The next day in City Hall, Nick and Judy waited with Lionheart and the council outside the conference room. The police chiefs arrived first, greeting Lionheart and his mammals as they entered.

"Hey, Chief!" Nick exclaimed.

Bogo stopped in front of Nick and Judy. "Hopps. Wilde. Performing your duties I presume?"

Judy nodded. "Yes, Chief."

"Good. Because Lionheart is sending progress reports. So I'll know if you make a mistake."

"Understood," Nick said. "We promise to do nothing but our absolute best."

Bogo nodded at their commitment. "See that you do." He then entered the room to greet the Mayor and the council.

Minutes later, a group of mammals in suits led by a zebra and a hyena approached the conference room. The zebra and hyena saw the police officers at the entrance and stopped to speak to them.

"Is this where the meeting is?" The zebra asked politely.

"Yes," Judy said. "You must be from Depolitio."

"Correct," The zebra extended a hoof. "Arlyss Maverick. CEO of Depolitio. A pleasure to meet you."

The hyena then extended a paw. "Kazim Karrar. COO of Depolitio. You two must be Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde."

"A pleasure to meet you also," Nick said as he shook the hyena's paw.

Judy shook zebra's hoof. "Just to warn you, the police aren't too pleased with being the patsy in this. You should be careful during the meeting."

The CEO sighed. "It is unfortunate, but that's why we're also here to address that. We can't have division among us or the killer will take advantage and cause more mayhem."

"Believe us," The COO said. "This puts more pressure on us to get the results. Taking on this full time does more harm than good by stretching our resources."

"Then we wish you luck in the meeting, but first," Nick said as he picked up the bin.

"Sorry, Mayor's orders," Judy said as she readied the metal detector. "We don't lose our jobs for disobeying them."

The zebra nodded. "We understand."

Nick and Judy performed the arduous task of inspecting every mammal in Depolitio's group. A few expressed their mild disdain at Nick holding their belongings, but Arlyss and Kazim quickly silenced them with threats of repercussions. Finally, Nick and Judy completed the inspection and the Depolitio representatives entered the conference room.

Behind closed doors, Lionheart discussed how to address the citizens of the Assassin. After much debate and compromise, City Hall and the ZPD agreed to hold an indoor rally at the Zootopia Regional Convention with heavy security at the entrance and inside. The rally will also be broadcast for those who are unable to attend.

But the plan was met with heavy criticism and dispute from Depolitio. Despite the opportunity to capture the Assassin, Depolitio reasoned that it would severely backfire and Lionheart ends up dead. City Hall and the ZPD responded by pointing out the lack of progress on their end, subtlety hinting them to be all talk and no action. The two sides continued to throw verbal jabs at each other that eventually led nowhere. Meanwhile, Judy and Nick heard the entire discussion from outside the room.

The company's reaction set off red flags for Nick. "Depolitio's response is very suspicious," He said. "It's like they don't want to capture this mammal."

"They're only concerned for Lionheart's safety. An indoor rally could still leave openings."

"Possibly, but they seem to know a lot about the mammal in question."

"Who doesn't? His actions have been broadcasted all over Zootopia."

Nick sighed at Judy's lack of understanding. "I'm saying they know information that we haven't uncovered yet. Don't you find that suspicious?"

Judy took a few seconds to ponder his words. "Hmm, you're right now that I think about it. So you think there is a connection between the two?"

"I hope not, but my hustler instincts are skyrocketing right now."

"We can look into that later. For now, we focus on this."

As the meeting progressed, City Hall and the ZPD stood firmly by their plan and will carry it out despite the opposition. Depolitio warned once again that they were making a mistake and the potential fallout. This time the response they got was an adjourned meeting. Nick and Judy quickly stood aside when they heard mammals standing up. They saw the doors open and Depolitio representatives leave in frustration. Judy and Nick looked at each other, silently understanding the consequences.

During the preparation, extra precautions were taken to protect Lionheart during his speech. At his request, Judy and Nick will patrol the stage while two of his personal bodyguards stand by him. Another line of officers, joined by Chief Bogo, will protect the immediate area around the stage. Beyond that, there will be undercover officers among the citizens and sniper teams on the upper levels. SWAT team will also join, given how dangerous the Assassin is. Days before the rally, they held drills in the area to learn the routines, scout the possible entry points, and prepare for the Assassin's next appearance.

Meanwhile, Judy and Nick were ordered by Lionheart to protect him 24/7 despite their vehement protests. But Lionheart assured it will only be until the end of the rally and the officers relented solely for that reason. Despite the accommodations and extra pay, Judy and Nick became frustrated with the job as they spent more time on protection than on the case. Even the allure of living in the Mayor's abode eventually ran out. For them, the rally couldn't come any quicker as any casework they hoped to get done was stalled.

* * *

Because the political rally was a highly publicized event, the turnout was much higher than expected and the visitors filled the convention center to the max. SWAT and all available ZPD were assigned to watch the area from the outer perimeters to near the stage. The exceptions were officers assigned to the potential targets. This was to avoid the possibility of the Assassin targeting them with the entire force focused on the rally.

Seeing the large turnout caused some fear for Nick. "I'm starting to think the company was right in their concerns. There are enough mammals here for the mammal to slip through unnoticed."

"It may be," Judy replied. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."

Nick sighed at those words. "You have no idea how many times I hear that.

"Look at it in this perspective," she said, trying to encourage him. "It's a win-win situation for us. Best case scenario. The mammal appears and we catch him. Worst case scenario that doesn't involve death. We prevent the assassination and get a better look at the mammal. If nothing happens, Lionheart gets to live another day."

Nick chuckled. "I wish I had your optimism. But even if nothing happens, Lionheart is still in danger. I doubt the mammal will stop if he fails."

Judy's ears drooped at the comment. Nick did have a point but now was not the time to dwell on it. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there. But first, we need to make it to that bridge."

After one last check, Judy and Nick walked onto the stage and waited for Lionheart's arrival. The audience calmed down as Mayor Lionheart appeared with a grizzly bear and rhino bodyguard and stood at the podium to give his speech.

Bogo's voice then came through their radios, "Report in. Is everyone in their positions?"

"Sniper teams in position."

"SWAT team in position."

"Stage team in position."

He then heard confirmations from everyone else.

"Excellent, stay vigilant and the mammal will be apprehended."

As Lionheart gave his speech, Judy and Nick walked around the stage, keeping their senses heightened for any sign of the Assassin while the bodyguards stood behind Lionheart. Bogo would periodically check in to see if anyone spotted the Assassin.

"Status report." The Cape Buffalo heard everyone but the sniper teams. "Sniper teams report."

There was no response.

"Sniper teams! I repeat, report!" Again, no response and Bogo became alarmed. "Someone check on them now! We need their support! Everyone else, arm yourselves and stay alert!"

The officers and SWAT on the ground readied their weapons and kept watch for the Assassin. They didn't see any signs of threats and remained focused. Then, they heard the news.

"Sniper teams are down! I repeat sniper teams are down!"

Thankful for the news being transmitted through police radio, Bogo dreaded the next part. "Give me the details."

A sigh of relief was heard. "Alive but unconscious. The tranquilizers have also been taken."

The rest of the force knew it was bad if the Assassin possessed police weapons.

"Stay with them until they regain consciousness. Everyone else, stay vigilant! Protect Lionheart at all cost! Our mammal is in the building and armed."

The check-in became more frequent to ensure the everyone's safety in the convention center. Then, lack of updates started to occur. This caused more alarm and drew officers away to investigate. The only thing preventing the rally from being canceled outright was the chaos that will occur from everyone trying to leave, giving the Assassin the perfect opportunity to strike. The officers and SWAT maintained their professional stance to avoid revealing the knowledge. As Lionheart continued, Judy and Nick heard an eagle's screech, alarming them as they recognize the detail from the most recent murder.

"Nick, do you hear that?"

"Yes, Carrots. He's here. Keep your eye out and be careful."

With so many mammals at the rally, Judy and Nick must rely on their special senses to track the Assassin. As the remaining officers became stretched thin, they prepared for the inevitable. While scouting the immediate area, another eagle's screech was heard. This time much closer. Judy and Nick quickly looked in the direction of the sound and saw a hooded mammal rapidly approaching the stage. It didn't take long for them to recognize the individual.

Nick pointed at the Assassin, "There he is!"

Judy did the same. "Stop him!"

Everyone else looked in their direction and saw the Assassin in the midst. The citizens became terrified and quickly moved out of danger. Exposed, the Assassin ran to the stage and the ZPD quickly mobilized their remaining numbers. What was supposed to be a fortified line was now only at half strength as a result of the Assassin's work. Despite the lesser numbers, the remaining officers moved in for the takedown. At the police line, the Assassin drew out an umbrella and used it to vault over them. Seeing that happened, Judy and Nick quickly drew their tranquilizers and the bear and rhino moved to protect Lionheart.

What transpired next occurred in a flash. At the stage, the Assassin grabbed Judy and Nick's arms that were holding the tranquilizers and pushed them down to the stage floor. Then, he launched himself into the air off of them with the tranquilizers in possession. The Assassin shot at the bear and the rhino, leaving Lionheart wide open. Quickly disposing of the guns, he raised the left paw and flicked the wrist. Judy and Nick recovered in time to see a blade appear from the paw as the Assassin fell forward in Lionheart's direction.

Lionheart stood in fear for his life, along with everyone else present or watching on television. All the protection that Zootopia could provide him had failed in an instant and now there was nothing else he could do to prevent his end. Everyone watched in horror as the Assassin was about to perform the kill. Cameras snapped the image and videos recorded the moment. It felt to all but the Assassin as if time slowed down. But then to their surprise, he flew right by Lionheart and pounced on the rhino bodyguard instead, stabbing the neck with the blade and ending a life.

* * *

"What sense does it make to take the Mayor's life in front of many?"

The rhino huffed. "Fool, what makes you think it was going to happen here?"

"That doesn't change anything. Lionheart's efforts along with that of the ZPD have brought peace and prosperity to Zootopia and you would destroy that."

"We are not ignorant of the results. We simply wanted his cooperation to maintain Zootopia's recent success."

"And substituted it with something similar to the Night Howlers? It's clear that he disagrees with your plans."

"Regardless, you fell right into the trap. Now all of Zootopia knows of your appearance."

"But not my species and identity." The Assassin clarified.

"They will know eventually from the footage and the crime scene. It's only a matter of time."

"You are right about that. But Zootopia will not only know my identity and motives, they will the plot by you and your Order."

The rhino shook his head. "Not after this, you will give them enough reason to rally Zootopia against you. You're all by yourself with no one else to help you." The rhino exhaled for the last time.

"Then I'll make some friends."

* * *

The Assassin closed the rhino's eyes and stained a white feather on the wound with the blood. Those acts gave the ZPD and SWAT enough time to gather near the stage to make the arrest.

"We have you surrounded! There is nowhere to run! Surrender or we will take you down!"

The Assassin saw weapons pointed at him and did not move. The standoff felt like an eternity until a large smoke cloud engulfed the stage and the surrounding area. Mammals backed away as the smoke continued to spread. Judy and Nick successfully moved Lionheart and the bear bodyguard out of immediate danger despite their large size and being disoriented from the smoke. Lionheart remained in shock from the sudden turn of events and the bear was unconscious from the tranquilizer dose. The ZPD and SWAT immediately moved in to protect the Mayor from further harm as the civilians fled out of the building. When the smoke cleared, the Assassin was gone.

"Which way did he go?" Judy asked frantically.

Nick recovered before Judy and searched around. "There!"

Judy looked at the direction Nick pointed in and saw the Assassin leaving the scene. A scowl of determination formed on her face, "He's not getting away!"

"Wait, Judy!"

The bunny took off running, ignoring her partner's pleas. Nick pursued and successfully caught up to Judy. Their pursuit was hindered from the chaos caused by the assassination. From their location, Judy and Nick watched the Assassin leave through the back entrance. With their window getting smaller by the second, the two officers increased the pace, using their small size to pass through the legs of larger mammals. They finally escaped outside and saw the Assassin walking away.

"Stop in the name of the law!" Judy yelled. "You're under arrest!"

The Assassin immediately broke into a sprint when hearing the police behind him. Judy and Nick broke into a sprint also and pursued. Citizens along the path cleared the way when hearing the officers shout and seeing the runners. The Assassin tried to use the stoplights to increase the distance between himself and the officers, but Nick and Judy foiled his attempts. The chase at one point crossed a red light intersection and they were nearly hit by vehicles, more for the officers than the Assassin. That close call was the last straw.

"We need to end this before someone gets hurt!" Judy yelled.

"He'll try to escape into an alley!" Nick cried.

"Then we split up and cut him off!"

"Keep after him, Judy! I know my way around. Keep me updated on your position!"

"Got it!"

Nick and Judy separated at the next intersection. Judy barely had enough stamina to keep sight of the Assassin but pushed on, updating Nick continuously on their location. As suspected, she saw the Assassin enter an alley and informed Nick just before arriving at the location.

"Nick, the mammal has entered an alley." She radioed.

He responded immediately. "Where are you?" She gave her location and Nick hurried to them.

In the alley, the Assassin reached a dead end and stopped running. He turned around to see Judy and then Nick appearing beside her moments later. The Assassin did not move and let the officers approach with their tasers drawn and aimed at him.

"You have nowhere else to go!" Judy ordered. "Put your paws up now!"

"Come along quietly and there won't be any more problems." Nick calmly said.

The Assassin slowly brought up his paws while Judy and Nick kept their tasers trained on him, ready to fire at any moment. Halfway through raising his paws, the Assassin clenched his left paw to the right and flung his right one forward to the left. Before Judy and Nick realized what happened, they felt their tasers missing from their paws. They looked to see blades impaled through their weapons against the brick walls.

The two returned their attention to the Assassin and saw his paws crossed with one having what appeared to be a miniature bow. The Assassin straightened his paws and positioned his feet and arms into a martial arts stance. Shaken but not deterred, Judy and Nick assumed into their sparring stances.

"Okay, if that's how you want to go out," Nick said.

"Don't underestimate us," Judy warned.

They remained in their stances until Judy and Nick charged forward at the same time. The officers hoped that the combined attack would overwhelm him or at least let them grab a piece of clothing. That failed when he leaped over them and now they were the ones cornered in the dead end.

"Okay, now what?" Nick said.

"Wait a few seconds," Judy said before she charged forward again.

Nick understand her plan but would have a few words later about charging head-on into danger, again.

Just like their initial attack, the Assassin defended himself with little difficulty and eventually punched Nick with enough force that it launched him into the wall.

"Nick!" Judy's gaze followed her partner. but she quickly realized the mistake of looking away. Fortunately for her, the Assassin did not attack and waited until their eyes met to resume fighting.

With Judy alone, the Assassin went more on the offensive, landing mild hits on the bunny while dodging and deflecting her attacks.

To her surprise, Judy failed to land a single hit despite having taken down mammals many times her size before and this mammal was no bigger than a wolf. During one attack, the Assassin punched Judy in the face with enough force to launch her backwards. Nick recovered in time to see Judy land hard on the floor and saw her bleeding from the mouth.

"Judy!" He became enraged at Judy being hurt and snapped his head at the Assassin. Roaring with fury, Nick immediately got up and launched an all-out assault. The Assassin did the same to him in less time and eventually with a punch to the nose, sent Nick to the ground next to Judy.

The officers recovered from the blows and looked up to the Assassin covering his mouth. As they waited for his next move, a smoke cloud engulfed the alley and sent them into a coughing fit again. Expecting an attack, Nick and Judy hurriedly limped for the alley entrance, hoping they don't run into the Assassin. The two escaped the smoke and collapsed onto the ground. They recovered in time to see the smoke cleared and no Assassin. Despite using their senses, they found no trace of him in the alley. Their broken tasers were found on the ground without the blades.

"Darn it!" Judy yelled in frustration. "We almost had him, and the knives are gone too! That could have been useful evidence." She desperately looked at Nick. "Did you manage to get a piece of the clothing?"

Nick shook his head. "Sorry Carrots, I didn't even land a hit on him."

Judy groaned in frustration and pounded the ground with both paws.

"Now there's no point in sulking over it," Nick said. "This won't be the last encounter."

Once Judy calmed down, she looked at Nick and gasped. "Nick, your nose."

He checked it and saw the blood on his paw. "It's nothing serious. You should check your mouth."

Judy did so and saw hers covered in blood as well. "Is it bad?"

Nick shook his head. "Nothing a little water won't fix, but it did scare me at first."

"We should be lucky to have escaped with only minor injuries."

"I'm more afraid if our mammal decides to do worst."

They pulled themselves to their feet and recovered the damaged tasers.

"We should clean ourselves before returning to Bogo," Nick said. "Can't have him get us evaluated for something minor and be potentially taken off the case."

"That's much worse than the mammal escaping."

Frustrated at their failure, Judy and Nick returned to the rally to investigate the crime scene after cleaning blood off themselves in a restroom.

* * *

 **AN: To anyone who was wondering, that was a phantom blade and throwing knife the Assassin used to knock the tasers away.**


	4. Discovery

When Bogo saw Nick and Judy return, he was furious at their sudden disappearance at a critical time. "Hopps, Wilde, where have you two been?!"

"Sorry, sir." Judy quickly apologized. "We saw our mammal leaving the premises and made the pursuit to arrest him."

Her answer only increased the Chief's wrath, "You two should know better than chase after a dangerous killer. You could have gotten yourselves killed!" His volume increasing near the end. He kept his composure but that didn't stop his body from radiating anger.

Nick and Judy lowered their heads in shame and said nothing, knowing he was right.

"Sorry sir, it won't happen again," Nick apologized. He then looked around before facing Bogo again, "Where is Lionheart and how is that bear bodyguard?"

The Chief relaxed slightly and crossed his arms, "The Mayor is currently safe and being protected by SWAT. The bear has no serious injuries and will recover. I assumed you failed to make the arrest."

"We had him cornered, but he fought back," Judy said in defeat.

"We survived the encounter," Nick added. "But once again, he disappeared without a trace,"

Neither mentioned their minor injuries received from the fight.

"Chief," Judy said. "I suggest we watch the alleys. It appears that's where he originates from our recent encounter and investigation."

"We intended to report our findings after the rally," Nick said.

"Duly noted." He then turned to the officers. "Get the Mayor to safety and secure this location!"

The entire building was closed off and became a crime scene. Questions were raised on how the Assassin weakened the security and why he didn't kill Lionheart. Worse, the events were broadcasted on live television, bringing more doubt and humiliation to City Hall and the ZPD. The only positives were now the citizens can now aid in capturing the Assassin after seeing his weapon and appearance.

With everyone else occupied, Judy and Nick investigated the dead rhino on stage while waiting for forensics to arrive.

"At least now the murder weapon has been identified," Nick said. "I've never seen a concealed knife like that before. Once we arrest him, I want to know how it works and where it came from."

Meanwhile, Judy was confused about the turn of events, "I don't get it. Why target one of Lionheart's bodyguards and not him?" She put on a glove and padded down the body. While searching, Judy felt an object and pulled it out. Her eyes widened in horror at the concealed blade. "Why would you have this when you have a standard issued weapon, or better yet, your strength?"

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "Last resort, or it could have been placed there by the mammal himself?"

Judy shook her head. "No, we would have seen it. I suspect something deeper with our culprit." Judy noticed a piece of paper from where she removed the blade. "Hello, what is this?" She placed the knife in an evidence bag and pulled out the paper to read it.

The Assassin will appear at the event. Make sure you are alone with him and the target before carrying out your orders. May the Father of Understanding guide you.

Judy had to refrain from becoming too excited, "I was right! The bodyguard did have orders to kill Lionheart, and the plan was to implicate our White Feather Killer. What I'm more curious about is that the note calls him the Assassin with the A capitalized."

"His actions deserve the name, but I never heard the word Assassin used as a title." Nick took a second to grasp the situation. "Boy, this just got more interesting. I'm starting to believe my hunch is becoming more plausible."

Judy placed the note in another bag and hid it and the blade. "I doubt Chief Bogo will believe this. The knife and the note will implicate...the Assassin was it...more than the rhino."

"So we do that separate investigation you mentioned earlier,"

Judy nodded.

Nick took a moment to think. "Hmm, where do you want to start?"

"I want to investigate if Lionheart had a connection with the victims. From his outburst earlier, he certainly feared for his life and these mammals could be responsible."

* * *

Back at Precinct One, Judy and Nick ran another background check on the victims. The bunny on the computer and the fox reading the physical files.

"According to the database," Judy said. "These mammals were involved with Lionheart during his campaign and once he got elected,"

"Huh," Nick said curiously while reading. "It also says they played a major role in Lionheart's release and reinstatement as Mayor."

"Bogo did say they were prominent in their field, so they could have had a lot of influence."

Nick closed the file and laid it on the desk, "Too much influence if you ask me."

Judy scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Nick, you seriously can't think these mammals were into shady business."

"Remember what I said earlier, Carrots. Their assassinations raise the possibility. That's what we're trying to find out for Lionheart."

The two continued their search until Judy came across an interesting piece of information.

"Look Nick. Lionheart broke off contact with them just before the reporter's death."

Nick saw the information on the computer screen, "And I bet the assassination attempt was to prevent a leak and pin the murder on the Assassin. Whoever these mammals belonged to must have planned this," He sighed deeply. "Too bad there's nothing connecting them to Depolitio. Pardon me for wanting that."

"You're probably not alone there," Judy said. "We still need proof if there is a scandal since we only have assumptions."

Nick and Judy combed through the information again, but the search yielded no results.

"Well no surprise to see nothing relating to threats and warnings against Lionheart in the files," Nick said.

While continuing the search, they discovered their previous involvement with Zootopia's pop star Gazelle.

"Check this out!" Judy said. "These mammals also worked with Gazelle and she too broke off contact them before the first murder." A dreaded thought came to her mind. "Do you think there's a plot to assassinate her?" Judy could only imagine the potential catastrophe on Zootopia.

"It happened with Lionheart. But other than severing ties, Gazelle has too much integrity to be involved in shady business."

"Should we tell Bogo?"

Nick shook his head. "This is a very serious assumption here, Carrots. Bogo will demand proof when we have none. Despite being a massive Gazelle fan, will Buffalo Butt even believe us?"

"No, but he'll definitely want to protect Gazelle during her performance."

Nick smiled with satisfaction, understanding Judy's plan. "Right. That will draw out the Assassin if there is a plot. But after the rally, it could be a while before Gazelle even considers performing."

"Knowing her, she'll want him caught as soon as possible. We just have to wait and continue our investigation for now."

* * *

In the aftermath of the assassination attempt, Lionheart to imposed stricter security measures. His appearances became even rarer, preferring television broadcast over live appearances. The partnership between the city and Depolitio became more strained when word got out that the company failed to contribute to capturing the Assassin. In the public eye, the combined forces would have ended the killing spree. As a result, support for the company took a hit, and City Hall and the ZPD secretly enjoyed in their misfortune. Though they themselves didn't escape blame, they grew more tolerant at the negative reception.

Judy and Nick were released from protecting Lionheart after the rally, bringing them much relief. Having more time dedicated to the case, they began their side investigation. The two immediately ruled out questioning Maverick and Karrar because of the strained partnership. This was proven by Bogo's colorful response to any company representative visiting the ZPD. Instead, Nick and Judy visited two mammals whom they feel might have worked with the victims: Dawn Bellwether and Mr. Big.

At the prison where Bellwether is incarcerated, Judy and Nick successfully arranged an interview with her. In the interrogation room, they saw Bellwether sitting at the table surrounded by predator guards who were justifiably grimacing at the ewe. Nick and Judy, meanwhile, maintained their professional appearance. The officers requested to speak with her alone, knowing that her information is sensitive. The guards agreed and reminded them that they will be ready to assist at a moment's notice.

Naturally, Bellwether was unenthusiastic about seeing Nick and Judy. After they were left alone, the ewe spoke her disdain, "What a surprise to see the hero cops of Zootopia here!"

"Hello, Bellwether," Nick said nonchalantly.

"What do you want?" She quickly put her chained hooves up before they could respond, "Wait, let me guess. You want to talk to me about the White Feather case?"

Judy sat down in the chair, maintaining her neutral expression. "It's more than that," She said in a serious tone. "We discovered the victims' connections to Lionheart. Perhaps you met them while as Assistant Mayor and later as Mayor."

Bellwether scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You don't need me. You have Lionfart and the police database."

"Two problems there," Nick said. "The system didn't provide us all the information, and Lionheart rarely lets anyone meet directly with him after the rally."

"Well isn't that unfortunate." She said while crossing her arms.

"Please," Judy pleaded and pulled out her notepad and carrot pen. "If you know anything, tell us. Someone will die by their paws eventually. It already happened to a predator. It will happen to prey; who even you don't wish harm upon. We'll help you out when this is all over, and your contribution right now is the first step."

After a brief pause, Bellwether realized they were right. The sheep took a deep breath and leaned forward to whisper. "These mammals approached me when they discovered my Night Howlers plot. They offered their support in exchange for me granting them benefits when I became Mayor. But I quickly discovered that their plans involve harming the prey."

"Yet you tried to have me kill Judy." Nick reminded, glaring at the ewe.

Bellwether shook her head. "This is much worse. It's what ultimately turned me away. I immediately severed ties with them after making the discovery. Deliberately harming prey is a line I refuse to cross. With obvious exceptions." Bellwether glared at Judy but the latter kept her professional appearance to Nick's admiration.

"Good to know," Judy said, showing no emotion and writing down the sheep's words on her notepad. "Anything else you can tell us?"

"While in prison, I overheard their plan to recruit the Mayor. Clearly, that failed. But to be honest, I'm actually glad this mammal is dealing with them. I support their goals but not their methods."

"Did they try to contact anyone else and do you know the exact details of their methods?" Judy asked, wanting change the subject.

"I was arrested before I could investigate thankfully. They warned of consequences when I broke off contact with them. I would have been silenced permanently had I not been discredited."

That made Bellwether the third mammal to have a troubled encounter to Nick and Judy's knowledge. This made them wonder how many more mammals could be in trouble.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Bellwether," Judy said.

"Be careful in your investigation. They have eyes and ears everywhere." She pointed her hoof at them. "Remember your promise."

Judy and Nick nodded and left the interrogation room as the guards returned Bellwether to her cell.

Once outside, Nick leaned over to Judy, "Are we really going to help her out of prison?" He asked, worried about assisting the mammal who nearly destroyed them.

"Nope, but we can place her under house arrest and lighten her sentence should her information come through. No good deed goes unpunished."

* * *

Next, the two visited Mr. Big in Tundratown. His daughter Fru Fru had given birth to a new Arctic shrew and named her Judy as promised. Mr. Big followed through with his promise in declaring Judy Hopps to be her godmother. In a surprise twist, he also declared Nick to be the godfather, reasoning that seeing him turn his life around for the better convinced the shrew that the fox was a changed mammal. Nick gladly accepted the renewed friendship. The mob boss enjoyed having the two visit on their days off to care for and play with their goddaughter.

The officers noticed the heavy security to Mr. Big's mansion on this visit compared to previous ones. The polar bear at the front entrance immediately stopped the civilian vehicle. Judy lowered the window so the polar bear can speak.

"State your name and business."

"Judy Hopps with Nick Wilde. We're here to see Mr. Big."

The polar bear saw the two and then radioed in. "Let them in."

They opened the gates and Judy and Nick drove onto the property.

"Looks like these mammals tried to recruit Mr. Big," Nick said.

"You may be right about that."

After Nick and Judy parked their vehicle, two polar bears met them and escorted them inside to Mr. Big's office. After checking on Fru Fru and her daughter, Judy and Nick entered the office where Mr. Big and his polar bear, Koslov, were waiting for them.

"Welcome back, my friends," The mob boss greeted. "I do enjoy having your company here. It's nice to have friends in the ZPD."

He brought his ring forward and the two kissed it before speaking.

"I hope you realize we can't do you a lot of favors," Judy said.

"Of course, I am only joking." Mr. Big then became serious. "But I know why you're here."

This surprised Nick and Judy.

"You do?" Judy asked.

"Yes, and I'm afraid to tell you that I have no connection or ever made contact with this White Feather Killer as the media calls it. If I ever did, I would have iced him in a heartbeat for his killing spree."

"Actually, we came ask if you know the victims," Nick said. "Show him, Hopps."

Judy stepped forward to the table and revealed their pictures.

Mr. Big leaned forward to look at the photos. "Ah yes, there are actually more than those pictured here. They tried to make me an offer I couldn't refuse, but I disagreed with their plan."

"What was their plan?" Judy asked, eager to get answers.

"They want peace and order in all things. While noble goals, I disagreed with their highly questionable and borderline unethical methods. Despite being a crime boss and wishing to increase my power and influence in Zootopia, I could not go along with that. It was too much even for me."

"Judging by the heavy security, they tried attacking you like with Bellwether and Lionheart," Nick said.

"Yes. Fortunately, my experience of being targeted by my enemies has saved me. Their first attempt ended with the perpetrators being iced. But I fear it will only be a matter of time before they succeed. They are more powerful than I realized."

"Don't worry, Mr. Big," Judy assured. "We'll find these mammals and expose their plot."

"I know you will. Before you leave, I have a request. When you do find the White Feather Killer, do not arrest him immediately. Instead, bring him to me so that I may reward his services and inquire about the motives. I do sound hypocritical for threatening to ice him just moments ago, but I changed my mind after connecting the pieces."

"We'll do out best," Nick said. "But we can't guarantee if the ZPD gets to him first."

"I understand."

"Thank you for your time Mr. Big," Judy said.

"Always a pleasure to have your company."

* * *

The time spent traveling visiting and setting up meetings with their mammals of interests consumed the entire day. Tired but wanting to continue working, Judy and Nick ordered take out and crashed at Judy's new apartment which she got a year after Nick joined the ZPD. She tried to convince him to move in with her, but Nick reasoned that he favored the peacefulness that came from solitude and needed to be responsible for himself. Still, Judy convinced him to look for a better apartment.

In a makeshift office of her apartment, Judy and Nick laid out the information from Bellwether and Mr. Big along with everything else gathered so far on the table. While organizing the information on the bulletin board, Judy looked back to see Nick sitting on the couch and eating his meal.

She grew annoyed at his lack of contribution. "Nick, aren't you going to help me?"

"I will, Carrots. But organizing is your specialty so I don't want to mess anything up and have you yelling at me later."

Judy grunted but conceded. "Fair point."

Once she finished, she joined Nick on the sofa and ate her meal beside him.

"This is what we have so far. There are four dead mammals whose deaths were caused this blade." She pointed to their pictures on the board along with the best quality picture of the weapon acquired.

"Aside from rhino who was only an average bodyguard," Nick said. "The others are prominent in their respective career fields. This is where it gets confusing. We originally thought it was an attack on high-profile figures, but that changed with Lionheart being spared. Now the question is why the rhino and not the Mayor?"

"More importantly, who is this Assassin figure, what are his motives, and what exactly are these mammals planning?" Judy wondered.

"To be honest, I feel relieved from this recent development. When Bogo said the victims were high-profile, I was worried about us being targeted given our popularity in Zootopia."

Judy looked up at Nick, surprised to hear that. "Really? I didn't know if you felt the same. You make yourself extremely difficult to read."

"Glad to see I haven't gotten rusty," Nick's satisfaction was quickly replaced with sadness. "But seriously, the feelings have been there since we first heard the details. When we were separated during the chase, I was worried that the Assassin would kill you. And seeing him hurt you in the alley pushed me over the edge. I really thought it was the end when we were knocked down and engulfed in smoke."

Judy saw Nick's sadness after he finished speaking and snuggled closer to comfort him. "Nick, thank you so much for caring for me. You have no idea how relieved I felt when he left us alone back there. Don't forget that I care so much for you also. You're my partner and best friend so I'll always look out for you. Until it's certain that the Assassin won't target us, we must remain on guard."

Nick and Judy cuddled together and spent a few moments in silence, happy over their survival. Working non-stop since being assigned the case, they cherished the moment of respite and refused to let thoughts of the Assassin taking their lives affect them. Much to their reluctance, the two resumed working. Eventually, they slowly came to a realization. What started as a series of homicides has unraveled into a conspiracy that could have more dire consequences than the savaged predators.

"Nick. You realize if we do uncover something sinister, it could bring pandemonium to Zootopia with the possible numbers involved."

"Which is why this must be kept secret, even from the ZPD. Again, we need solid proof before coming forward. Even our reputation won't change how the city views the Assassin."

"Don't forget that any information leaks could scare away him and the potential conspirators."

"That too."

Judy took a deep breath. "Gosh, I wonder how many more mammals are involved."

"I'm more concerned with their intentions for Zootopia if they succeed."

"Hmm. The only one who knows is the Assassin, but it's impossible to track him."

"We'll just have to wait until he strikes again because I doubt the traffic cams will help us this time."

"Hmm. Maybe not. I'm curious to see how he bypassed all the security."

"Then we pay a visit to our old pals tomorrow morning."

* * *

The next day, Judy and Nick accessed the cameras from the day of the rally and found one with a perfect view of the entrance. While looking through the footage, the Assassin came into view and stood across the street from the entrance.

"Time to see how he got in," Judy said.

They watched him look at the mammals going into the rally. The Assassin then set his sights on his target and made the approach.

"Stealing an invitation." Nick presumed. "Why am I not surprised?"

Judy and Nick watched him carefully close in without drawing attention. His paw was seen slowly reaching out as the Assassin got closer. Nick and Judy barely missed him swiping his paw and pick-pocketing the invitation. He walked a short distance away and quickly replaced his hood with a top hat.

"Is a hat really going to make a difference?" Nick said.

The Assassin approached the entrance and showed the invitation at the checkpoint. Seconds later, he entered the building.

"I don't believe this." He said in disbelief.

"It only works if no one sees you do it." Judy reminded. "Do you really find that hard to believe?"

"It's just that…how does no one see this occur?"

"We can ask him when we bring him in."

They changed cameras to the back entrance and fast forwarded until they saw the Assassin and themselves exiting the building.

"There he is," Nick said.

"Now to see where he goes," Judy said.

They tracked his movements through the cameras to the dead end alley and never saw the Assassin come out.

"That must be his base," Judy said

"Wait." Nick checked the surrounding cameras. In one footage of the alley, they saw him climbing onto the roof and then running across the rooftops. "Remember, he is a professional. The Assassin probably planned for that escape. He just needed to lose us first."

Before they continued, a knock came on their door. They opened to see Fangmeyer standing nearby.

"Fangmeyer, what is it?" Judy asked.

"Chief wants everyone to the bullpen for an urgent meeting. It's about the White Feather Killer case." The tigress answered.

Judy and Nick looked at each other and nodded.

"We'll be there," Nick responded.

Fangmeyer nodded and left for the meeting.

"What do you think it will be this time?" Nick asked.

"If I had to guess," Judy said. "It's a plan to draw out the Assassin now that he's proven to be hard to get."


	5. The Concert

Inside the bullpen, the atmosphere had returned to the normal rowdy behavior that had been recently absent, showing the officers' determination to stop the Assassin. Judy and Nick calmly sat in their seat and were not surprised to hear the Assassin being called a coward by their fellow officers for his methods. They could only sigh and refrain from voicing their objections.

"Atten-hut!"

Bogo entered and the officers became silent and gave him their undivided attention. The Chief stepped up to the podium and saw their renewed fire and determination. Though his outward expression didn't show it, he was happy to see that in them.

"I called this urgent meeting because Gazelle, a possible target, is holding a concert later this week as a sign of positive action. She has asked the ZPD to provide protection during the performance. We have already accepted her request because we are good mammals and do not wish harm upon Zootopia's pop star." His tone becoming serious near the end. "Her manager has provided us with the plans so we can properly prepare. Let's get to work."

The room erupted in excitement and continued as the officers were leaving.

"It seems our luck is changing for once," Nick said, keeping a calm expression but his wagging tail betrayed him.

But Judy bounced with energy, trying not to binky. "I know right! We need to start investigating all the mammals working for Gazelle."

"Hold the phone there, Fluff. We can't make our actions obvious. We don't want to alert Gazelle's potential assassin."

Judy managed to calm down from her excitement. "I know. We'll be careful in our search. Should we tell Gazelle?"

"Yes, she needs to be aware of this so she can be on the lookout also. I have no doubt she will cooperate."

"When do you want to tell her?"

"When she's alone. Can't have her assassin within earshot."

Like the rally, the concert would be held indoors. This one in a stadium. As per terms of the partnership, they reluctantly presented their plan to Depolitio. Naturally, the company refused to see them, clearly displaying the increasing division. Regardless, City Hall and the ZPD moved forward, spending the time leading up to the performance reviewing the plans and assigning officers and SWAT to every possible entry points.

To prevent another escape, a special unit was created with two roles: scent and speed. The speed unit consisted of the fastest and most agile officers. The scent unit consisted of officers with a strong sense of smell. One member of each unit would be paired up when the Assassin appears. Judy was assigned the speed unit and Nick, the scent unit. Naturally, they became the assigned pairs.

Because smoke was used in the previous escape, the ZPD will use gas masks to eliminate that factor. To prevent another surprise and from stretching their forces, an extra officer was assigned to protect the sniper teams and the police concentrated on the stage area.

Meanwhile, Judy and Nick had their own plans for the Assassin. Should they meet alone, the officers will approach peacefully and reveal their discoveries to him, hoping he would explain the motives behind the assassinations and cooperate. Should they end up arresting the Assassin, Judy and Nick will work to prevent any unfair treatment to avoid losing their chance of confirming their suspicions.

* * *

In her dressing room, Gazelle rehearsed the lyrics from her selection of songs and constantly reminded herself that the concert was for the benefit of Zootopia. Even if she was putting her life in danger. A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

The door opened and the singer was surprised to see Nick and Judy as her visitors.

"Officers, what brings you here?"

"Just checking up on you," Judy said. "How are you feeling?"

"A little nervous to be honest, but it's something I must do. Zootopia already went through this before, and I do not wish for this to continue any longer."

"We understand," Nick said. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Listen, there's a reason why we came here."

Gazelle became curious. "What is it?"

"Before we say anything else, do you trust us and promise not to tell anyone else, not even the ZPD?" Judy said.

The singer became concerned from the seriousness. Whatever Judy and Nick had to say must be important if it must remain a secret. "You two saved Zootopia before so I promise."

Nick checked to make sure that the door to the dressing room was locked and then took a deep breath before speaking. "We believe there is someone in your group who plans to kill you."

The information stunned Gazelle into silence. She slowly sat down in her chair with her hooves over her face as the information was almost too much for her.

Judy continued on with the conversation, "Gazelle, we looked into the mammals killed and noticed that you previously had contact with them. Do you remember?"

The singer slowly nodded her head, lowering her hooves to her chin. "Yes, but what does that have to do with someone wanting to kill me?"

"Because these mammals were also previously in contact with Lionheart," Nick said. "And look what happened."

Gazelle put the pieces together and came to the terrifying conclusion. "I don't believe this. Do you know who it could be?"

Nick shook his head, "No, but there is someone who does,"

The singer realized who he was referring to but immediately had doubts. "How can you be sure that I'm not the one?" She didn't have the same trust as Judy and Nick had for the Assassin.

"Because Lionheart would already be dead."

"We understand that this is hard for you, but it's the only way to know for sure." Judy reasoned.

"We thought about questioning everyone else but that would only draw suspicion and possibly scare your assassin away," Nick said.

Gazelle sighed but knew they were right. "This makes me want to take action, but I know I can't. What should we do?"

"I'm afraid we must carry on as normal and hope nothing happens to you," Judy said, disappointed with the lack of options. "We'll keep watch on you at all times before, during, and after the concert."

"If we're in luck our mammal will appear and eliminate your assassin before it happens," Nick assured.

Gazelle shook her head, displaying her reluctance. "This is not something I wish to be a part of, but if it's the only way to understand this mammal's motives, I will do it. If what you say is true, then I hope he does appear."

"Thank you for understanding, Gazelle," Judy said.

"And remember," Nick said. "If you suspect anything, let me and Hopps know immediately. We can't have the other officers getting carried away with the arrest."

Gazelle nodded, now more determined and confident. "I will."

* * *

On the day of the performance, it was a sellout crowd. But the ZPD and Gazelle's group knew it was the perfect opportunity for the Assassin to strike. Police officers and SWAT surrounded the stage area so that only her and her dancers were allowed inside. Gazelle began her performance with her hit Try Everything. From there, the concert carried on and finished as scheduled. No reports of the Assassin came in, but they remained on guard and vigilant.

When the concert ended, Gazelle's organization and the police waited until the audience cleared out of the stadium. The police force then surrounded Gazelle and her tiger dancers and cleared a path to the backstage. They arrived safely and allowed the entertainers to pack up. The equipment and clothing were moved first and then the entertainers. While the police escorted Gazelle and her tigers to their ride out back, Nick became alarmed when something tipped off his smell.

"Carrots, my nose is picking up a familiar scent with one of the dancers."

Judy became alarmed as her ears went stiff. "What do you want to do?"

As they neared the back exit, the tiger dancers moved ahead in front of Gazelle to allow the police to defend the rear. Just before leaving the doors, Judy broke through with her tranquilizer drawn and aimed at the tigers.

"Stop right there! You're under arrest!"

The others were stunned at her action.

"Hopps, what are you doing?!" Bogo yelled, shocked and enraged at such accusation.

"I know you'll have a hard time believing me Chief," She then pointed to one of the dancers. "But that tiger is going to kill Gazelle!"

They looked back and forth at each other with anger and disbelief.

"That's absurd! Stop this nonsense!" Bogo yelled.

"Tell that to Officer Wilde who found a blade on the dancer."

The rest looked to see Nick standing next to the dancer. The fox reached out to the tiger and pulled out a blade from the dancer.

Gazelle felt overcome with betrayal as one of her own was the last mammal she expected. "It's you?! How could you?! Why would you want to do such a thing?!"

Caught, the dancer quickly wrestled the blade from Nick and took Gazelle hostage. The ZPD and SWAT immediately moved into position and aimed their weapons at the tiger. The dancer held the blade against Gazelle's neck as he backed towards the exit.

"Make any wrong move and it will be the end of Zootopia's pop star's career!" The dancer warned.

Clawhauser was filled with rage at her idol being threatened. "If you make any mark on her, I swear!"

"You won't do anything!" The dancer interrupted. "You're going to let me go and not come after me."

"We will find you even if you escape!" Judy yelled.

"The entire area is surrounded so good luck trying to get through!" Nick warned.

"Your numbers don't matter," The tiger refuted. "Once I disappear, you won't ever find me again, and that's a promise."

Gazelle was doing everything to not panic, "Please, don't do this. Think of the consequences."

"Quiet! Keep moving!"

Gazelle looked at Judy and Nick and the latter gave a slight nod. She understood what she must do and motioned the other officers to keep their distance. The ZPD and SWAT carefully followed the tiger as he backed away to the exit while restraining Gazelle and holding a blade to her neck. If they fired, the tiger would still have time to kill Gazelle so they had to wait.

"Once we arrest you, there will be justice to pay for your actions!" Bogo yelled.

"We know you're the White Feather Killer who's been terrorizing all of Zootopia!" Clawhauser cried.

The tiger laughed at their accusations. "I'm afraid you got the wrong mammal here. I'm not the responsible for all those murders."

"Impossible!" Bogo yelled, furious yet confused over the tiger's words. "Then who are you?!"

The tiger shot an infuriating smirk. "Have to catch me to know, but you won't get the chance."

Gazelle continued to distract the tiger and buy time for the Assassin. "You didn't have to take me hostage. You could have fled instead. Now you will pay for your actions. You will not escape!"

"You're not in the position to make any threats."

The hostage situation continued as the police force formulated a plan to rescue Gazelle and take down the tiger. Unfortunately, they were quickly running out of time as the tiger reached the doors and forced them open with his back. The entire group was met with flashing lights and loud screams as fans waiting for them caught witness to the hostage scene. The tiger took advantage of the distraction to move to the parked vehicle.

While reaching for the door with one arm, the tiger suddenly gasped and became rigid. He released Gazelle who quickly ran to safety and was protected by Bogo and Clawhauser. Their sights quickly shifted back to the dancer. They and everyone else watched the tiger stand motionless and drop the blade. He looked down at his belly and saw a growing blood spot. The tiger fell to the ground revealing the Assassin sitting in the vehicle with the hidden blade activated, having lowered the window to make the kill.

* * *

The Assassin stared at the tiger with his arms crossed. "Was this to draw me out or we're you really going to kill Gazelle?"

The feline grunted in pain. "Both, she sealed her fate when refused to cooperate with us."

"If you paid any attention to her interviews, you would know that your vision for Zootopia is not the Zootopia she wants."

"She would have understood had she let us explained further."

The Assassin shook his head. "Why even explain your intentions if you end up eliminating the mammal for refusing?"

"We're not foolish enough to reveal everything from the start. We start small and continue if they have interest."

"It's your methods she disagrees with, not the goals."

"And you think she agrees with yours?"

"No, but my explanation will convince her."

The tiger chuckled. "Do you really think what you do is any different from us? We both eliminate those deemed a threat and want the same thing."

"It does little to change our methods."

"Of course you say that. Regardless of the outcome, the purpose was to paint you in a bad image. You're marked for death now and there's nothing you can do about it." The tiger exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin calmly stained a white feather with his blood.

* * *

"Stop him now before he escapes!" Bogo ordered.

The Assassin threw smoke bombs and fled.

"Gas masks on now!" Bogo commanded.

The police quickly put on their gas masks and pursued the Assassin. They come outside to see it dark and raining. The dispersing fans and getting Gazelle and her remaining tigers into the vehicle took precious time away. Police helicopters were immediately notified and tracked the Assassin's location. The lights shined down on the Assassin who was currently fighting three officers near the police barricade.

The Assassin pounced on and knocked the first officer out with a punch to the face. Seeing the second charging in, he looked down to see a taser on the utility belt and drew it. The Assassin fired the taser and brought down the second officer. Noticing the third moving in, he rushed to the second and looted the first weapon he touched, a tranquilizer. The Assassin fired and brought the third officer down. With the immediate threat cleared, he threw more smoke bombs and broke through the police barrier before reinforcements arrived and saw the carnage left behind.

"Everyone, get with your partner and find him!" Bogo ordered.

The speed and scent units quickly mobilized in their assigned pairs and pursued the Assassin. With the amount of distance the Assassin must have put between them, the police were forced to rely on the police helicopters and eyewitnesses to point in the direction. Having seen the footage, Judy and Nick knew of the Assassin's plan.

"He's using the roofs to escape the police," Judy said. "We have to intercept him there."

"But which one? He could go to any of the roofs in his path."

"To catch an Assassin, we have to think like one."

"Okay, how do we do that?"

"Stay low, keep watch, and listen." She turned off the sirens and turned up the police radio.

Listening in on the updates, the two drove ahead of the path. They soon received word that the helicopters lost sight of the Assassin and reported the last known location. Judy and Nick drove and stopped at the outer perimeter. From there, they patrolled the area at cruising speed while keeping watch for the Assassin. From the rear view mirrors, Nick caught a glimpse of a hooded figure walking in the opposite direction. The headlights shined on the figure and it was enough for Nick to recognized the Assassin from the attire.

"Got you."

"Where is he?" Judy asked, searching their surroundings.

"Behind us, but we'll lose him again in our cruiser."

Judy carefully slowed down the vehicle. "Then what do we do?"

"We use his escape plan against him."

They parked the cruiser nearby out of sight and followed the Assassin on foot. The darkness covered for their movements but made it harder for them to track the Assassin. Judy and Nick came across a fire escape in an alley next to them. The two nodded and hurried to the fire escape, barely keeping quiet with their movements. Judy and Nick climbed to the top of the fire escape and discovered ladder above them locked.

"Give me a lift so I can extend the ladder," Judy whispered.

Nick lifted her and she jumped for the ladder. The bunny succeeded and climbed onto the roof. There, she lowered the ladder for Nick to climb. On the roof, they went to the edge and looked down.

"Is the Assassin still there?" Judy asked.

Using his night vision, Nick located him next to their building. "Yes. Call it in."

Judy turned on her radio. "This is Officer Hopps with Officer Wilde. We have located the mammal and he is on the move. Request back up to our location." She relayed their location to the other officers.

Moments later, cruisers and helicopters closed in on the area. Nick and Judy watched for the Assassin's response and just as they hoped, he started climbing their building. Judy and Nick got ready and confronted the Assassin once in view.

"You're not safe here!" Judy yelled, her voice muffled from the mask.

The Assassin turned to see them on the rooftop with him.

"Don't think you're the only one who can use the rooftops!" Nick yelled.

The Assassin immediately threw a smoke bomb and fled.

Judy and Nick quickly slipped on their gas masks and pursued while relaying their locations so the others can intercept. The Assassin's display of speed and agility shocked the two. They wondered where he learned the skills but pushed those thoughts aside. The Assassin tried to lose them with smoke bombs, but upon seeing their gas masks, he soon abandoned that tactic.

Seeing that smoke is no longer a problem, Nick and Judy removed their gas masks. The chase led to higher buildings, forcing them to climb up the next. Up ahead, the Assassin saw a long jump to the next building. The Assassin broke into a full sprint and leaped off the edge. Propelling forward in the air with his arms and legs, he safely made the jump. Judy and Nick saw the display and did the same, but they barely managed to grab the ledge. Their exhaustion from the chase was beginning to show. While pulling themselves up, Judy suddenly lost her grip and started falling when the brick she was grabbing loosened.

"Carrots!" Nick swiftly grabbed her but the sudden added weight caused him to lose grip as well.

"You're slipping!" Judy yelled.

"Hold on! I can get us up!"

As Nick lifted Judy to where she can grab the building, they heard the sounds of footsteps approaching. They looked up and were surprised to see the Assassin looming over them.

Fear overwhelmed the officers from knowing that this was the end and they began to wonder how it will happen. Neither of them wanted their careers to end like this, but they knew dying on the job was a risk that came with being an officer. Judy had radioed in their current location earlier, but the ETA received was not encouraging.

The Assassin kneeled down and brought his arm forward, grabbing the fox's arm. Nick and Judy closed their eyes, expecting the end to be swift. In that moment, they felt happy for their time spent together and took great satisfaction in going out together.

Instead of feeling gravity, the officers felt themselves being pulled up. They opened their eyes in surprise and shock to see the Assassin pulling them onto the roof. The unexpected outcome had Judy and Nick reeling when seeing the Assassin walking to the opposite ledge brought them back.

"Wait! Don't go!" Judy cried.

The Assassin stopped at the edge, giving them the opportunity to approach him.

"We know about the victims," Judy said. "The information in their files aren't complete."

"If you come with us, we promise to hear your explanation." Nick pleaded.

The Assassin remained silent, still facing away aT the ledge.

"We want to know why you are killing these mammals," Judy continued. "But we also know there's more to it and are willing to help," She hoped it was enough to convince him despite knowing well they were permitting murder under their watch.

"Think about it," Nick proposed. "We both have information that will help piece the puzzle together. You can prove your innocence and we'll protect you."

Bogo's voice on the police radio suddenly interrupted the conversation. "Hopps, Wilde, we're at your location. What's your status?"

Nick and Judy had hoped for more time, but since the police announced their presence, the Assassin would be fleeing any moment now.

"I'll see you soon." The Assassin spread his arms out and leaped off the building. Shocked at such act, Judy and Nick dashed to the edge and managed to catch a glimpse of him disappearing below.

"How in the world can he do that?" Judy asked, knowing that he had survived but wondering how from such a fall.

"From my hustler days, no one I've seen can survive a jump like that. I don't know how that is possible," Nick said.

"Judging from his words, I think he wants more than just the ZPD's information."

"I have the same feeling, Carrots. He knows that an officer is working with these mammals."

"Chief Bogo is not going to like this."

"And I doubt he will believe the Assassin saved our lives."

"I think we should keep those details a secret," Judy revealed her carrot pen. "At least we recorded his words."

"And the evidence too," Nick revealed two plastic bags containing the blade and the note from the tiger dancer.

* * *

"What do you mean he just disappeared?" Bogo yelled, outraged and in disbelief that the Assassin would just disappear.

"Sir, we don't know how to explain it," Judy said. "One moment, he was standing at the edge and speaking to us. Then he just jumped off the building."

The last sentence reminded Bogo of something, "Now that you mentioned it, we did see a figure falling from the building at your location. We can assume it was our mammal. I sent officers to scout where he might have landed, but they reported nothing. I think it's safe to assume this mammal will no longer be a problem."

"I wouldn't say that just yet," Nick said.

"What do you mean?" Bogo said, curious at his words.

"Listen to this." Judy pulled out her carrot pen and played the recording.

Bogo's eyes immediately widened. "Are you saying that he'll target the ZPD next?"

"It happened with Lionheart and Gazelle, especially with how he appears and disappears," Nick said.

Bogo realized how true those words were and the consequences if word got out that the Assassin successfully infiltrated the ZPD and killed his target. "I won't take that chance!"

* * *

In the aftermath of the political rally and Gazelle's concert, the citizens became divided over the motives of the Assassin because of their unexpected outcomes. When asked, Lionheart refused to comment while Gazelle gave a conflicted answer.

"The terror caused by this mammal must not go unpunished. Zootopia does not deserve to live in such fear. But it doesn't change what he did for me. He saved my life and I believe the life of Mayor Lionheart as well. For that, I am forever grateful. If there is a reason for why these murders occurred and why Lionheart and I were targeted, then this mammal will have the answers." She then faced the screen to speak to the audience. "If you are out there watching this, I implore you to come forward so we may know your reasons."


	6. The ZPD

At Precinct One, Bogo held another meeting that included televised appearances of the other Precincts chiefs. "Now I understand everyone here and the rest of Zootopia is upset with the outcome of the concert. But this resulted in another breakthrough in the case. Thanks to Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde's resourcefulness, we have reason to believe the killer will strike at the ZPD next. Hopps."

Judy played the recording and the others were intrigued with the message.

"While this confession is vague at best, there is no doubt the killer intends to pay a visit. However, it neither specifies which Precinct he will visit nor does it change his goal of pursuing high profile figures so we must all be on alert and protect our own. This time, we will let the killer march right in so there won't be anyone around for him to hide. Once the killer is confirmed to be inside, lock the place down so there is no escape. Together, we will take down this killer and bring him to justice for all he's done."

The other chiefs agreed and the other officers cheered at the plan but Judy and Nick felt uncomfortable.

"Hopps, Wilde, a word with you. Everyone else is dismissed."

The other precinct chiefs and the officers of Precinct One dismissed themselves, leaving the three alone in the room.

Bogo sighed deeply. "I know you two are leading the case, but for your safety, I can't have you two here should the killer arrive. You are high-profiles figures of Precinct One so that makes you prime targets."

"No, sir," Judy objected. "That is not a good idea!"

Bogo furrowed his brow. "And why is that?"

"Because," Nick said. "If the killer did want to eliminate us, he would have already done so when Hopps and I chased him into the alley and the rooftop. The first time could be written off as the killer trying to find our weaknesses, but twice and with how vulnerable we were?" He shook his head. "There's no way he would waste the opportunity. "

Bogo did find that odd from Nick's explanation but still had a question. "Then how come he promises to attack the ZPD?"

"That's the key here, Chief. We don't know which of the Precincts he will attack."

As much as Bogo didn't want to admit it, what Nick said made sense. "Alright, you have a point. But I still want to keep you safe should the killer chooses Precinct One."

"Then put us on surveillance," Judy said. "We can track him for you and be away from the danger."

Bogo carefully considered their reasoning and proposal. There was too much uncertainty to make the right decision. He finally made his choice against his better judgment. "Fine. You two can have that position, but I'm stationing an officer inside with you just in case. I don't want any risks."

"Thank you, Chief!" Judy exclaimed, grateful that everything worked out in their favor.

"Is there anything else you have to say?"

"Yes," Judy said, hoping to increase the odds in the Assassin's favor. "While the idea of letting the killer come to us sounds good, I don't think attacking directly him is a good idea."

"We saw what this mammal can do when we fought in the alley and chased him on the roofs," Nick said. "Don't forget about the officers outside the concert."

"I understand, but there were only a few of you at the time. I doubt one mammal can take on the entire ZPD force and win."

"But he's not after the entire ZPD force." Judy said.

Bogo became confused. "What do you mean?"

Nick quickly covered her mouth. "Uh, what she means is that this mammal is smart enough not to fight the ZPD head on."

The buffalo remembered how the direct approach failed numerous times despite their best preparations. "Hmm, you're right. Thanks for the information." Bogo then left the room.

Judy wrestled free from Nick's hold and punched him in the arm. "What was that for?!"

Nick immediately shushed her. "You know we're not supposed to tell him about the conspiracy!" He whispered.

"But he has to know that someone in the ZPD is involved!"

"And what? Cause everyone here to be paranoid of each other or drive the double agent away?" Nick shook his head. "No, it's better if they see it for themselves to understand."

Judy sighed with reluctance. "I don't like this, but you're right. How will the Assassin know where to find us?"

"We told him where to go remember. We just need to track his progress when he gets here and give him our information."

"For once, I don't mind being away from the action."

After the emergency meeting, the ZPD prepared for the eventual arrival of the Assassin while Judy and Nick planned to secretly give the Assassin unrestricted access to the police database upon his arrival.

* * *

All the ZPD precincts practiced their routes and trained their combat skills to take down the Assassin. Because he did not specify the timing nor the location of the visit, every precinct was on watch around the clock with the promise of compensation for their overtime once the Assassin is captured. Should he prove difficult to capture, a call for reinforcements was organized that would be discrete as possible. All of this was done in secrecy. The excuse for such a large scale preparation was them being cautious in case the killer struck at the ZPD. In reality, that was not far from the truth.

Meanwhile, Judy and Nick made the necessary adjustments so they can watch the cameras and work on the case. They were joined by a technician who normally operates the cameras and an officer stationed there by Bogo. If for some reason they needed to leave the room to use the restroom, refresh themselves in the locker room, or Bogo's orders, the officer is to escort them. The officers on guard changed shifts to allow for rest and preparation should the Assassin come when they weren't guarding Nick and Judy.

"I don't why you two would want to be in here." The technician, a coyote named Thomas, said. "There's not much to do."

"It was either that be stuck in a safe house," Nick said. "And you know Carrots. She can't stand being in one place for a long time."

"Hey!" Judy cried out from a few feet away.

Thomas motioned around him. "And this isn't?"

"At least we have something to do here. What are our options in a safe house besides sit around and wait all day for news?"

"Fair points. At least I have company."

Judy spoke with the current officer, a bear, guarding them. "Are you okay with this?"

"If it stops the killer's rampage then yes. My family worries that I maybe next despite them not knowing of the killer's criteria."

The bunny's ears drooped. "Oh." Her cheerful attitude quickly kicked in. "Don't worry. It will be over soon."

The officer chuckled. "I wish I had your optimism, Hopps."

"I tell her that all the time!" Nick shouted.

"Hey!"

"It's a compliment!"

Judy and Nick watched the cameras in the server room, searching for any trace of the Assassin. They took turns watching so the other can rest and refresh. In the meantime, the two worked on the case and its preliminary reports to avoid spending too much time on them afterwards. Boredom was the constant problem during the watch, and they did everything possible to not go insane. At night, they slept in the surveillance room because Bogo feared they would be attacked at their homes.

* * *

One night during Judy's watch, she noticed something. "Everyone, you need to see this."

Nick, Thomas, and Rhinowitz, the current officer guarding them, stopped what they were doing and looked at the cameras. They see the Assassin infiltrating the building and on the move.

"Our friend has arrived," Nick said.

"We need to let the Chief know right now." Thomas said.

"I got it." Judy said while reaching for the line.

"Let me know if the killer comes to this location." Rhinowitz said as he went outside to stand guard.

Judy hit the button for Bogo's office. "Chief, he's here."

Static was heard before the buffalo's voice came through. "Thank you, Hopps."

Bogo sent the word out and the entire Precinct was on high alert. Judy, Nick, and Thomas watched the screens for the Assassin. Unfortunately, the Assassin appears to know the camera's blind spots, making it difficult for the three to track. However, they began to notice the disappearance and lack of communication from the officers. One camera managed to catch the Assassin in action. He sneaked up to an unsuspecting officer and performed a silent takedown before moving on. This confirmed Thomas' worst suspicions.

The coyote immediately reported the action. "Chief, we need to call in reinforcements! The killer is taking down our officers!"

"Acknowledged. You and Rhinowitz must protect Hopps and Wilde at all cost if he goes to your location! Inform me when the reinforcements arrive."

"Understood Chief!"

Bogo immediately alerted the other Precincts of the attack. Judy and Nick did their best to buy enough time for the Assassin to get to their location without giving themselves away.

All of a sudden, a struggle was heard outside the door that lasted a few seconds and then a loud thud. Judy, Nick, and Thomas watched the door open, revealing the Assassin and an unconscious Rhinowitz on the floor. Judy and Nick were not surprised but Thomas was stunned. Before the coyote could react, he felt a prick in his shoulder. Within seconds, his vision faded and he blacked out. Judy and Nick watched as Thomas slump in the chair with a dart sticking from his shoulder. The two looked back to see the Assassin holding a ZPD tranquilizer gun. They remained silent as the Assassin entered the room and closed the door behind him. While Judy and Nick knew he would do them no harm, his actions still brought fear. The three conscious mammals made eye contact.

"Where's the database?"

Nick pointed to the location. "Right over there."

The Assassin went to the location and checked it. He then inserted a drive to download the data. Nick and Judy wanted to ask questions but felt the current situation to be inappropriate. Silence occupied the room until Judy nervously broke it, trying to make conversation.

"I know many of us here won't admit it, but they're grateful for you saving the Mayor and Gazelle's life."

"And we're especially grateful for you saving our lives back there." Nick added.

"You're welcome."

The drive continued to download and the room remained silent again until Judy broke it again with less unease this time.

"So, how do you know who is a double agent?"

"You'll find out soon enough. All I ask is for you forgive me for what I'm going to do," The Assassin turned his head to them and smiled. "Don't worry. No one else will die."

"That's...reassuring." Nick hesitantly said.

"They called for reinforcement from the other Precincts. They're on their way here at this moment." Judy warned.

The Assassin nodded. "They did huh? Thanks for the warning."

"You're welcome," Nick said. "You better finish up here before they arrive. I doubt you can handle them despite what we've seen."

He chuckled. "I know my limits. Taking on one Precinct is enough and my target just happens to be here."

The drive finished downloading and the Assassin retrieved it before leaving.

"Wait, we can help you solve this." Judy pleaded. "We know the ZPD isn't friendly to your methods, but you can trust us."

"She's right," Nick affirmed. "All of Zootopia know of your assassinations which means your targets know as well. It will be very difficult for you from here on out with everyone searching for you."

There was a brief pause as they waited for the Assassin's answer. Judy and Nick felt that this was their last chance to become involved once the Assassin carried out his mission here. Afterwards, they would no choice but to give up their side investigation as this current crisis grows.

"Find the mark at the origins." The Assassin left the room before they could ask more questions.

Satisfied with the answer, Judy and Nick quickly returned to their duties before their cover is blown. To their surprise, the Assassin was seen going in the direction of the front entrance where the lockdown had been activated.

Bogo's voice then came on the radio. "Hopps, Wilde, what's the status of the killer?"

They looked at each for a moment before Nick nodded.

Judy answered the radio. "He's heading for the front entrance."

"Affirmative Hopps. You four continue to monitor his movements and the backup. All available officers! Meet me in the lobby now! We must hold him down until reinforcements arrive!"

Judy and Nick sat and watched the Assassin stroll by the wounded and incapacitated officers he caused. They saw him entering the main lobby and Clawhauser hiding behind his desk, trying to remain hidden. There, ten ZPD officers appeared and immediately surrounded him. They included Bogo, Snarlof, McHorn, Higgins, Francine, Fangmeyer, Delgato, Grizzoli, Wolford, and a Boar officer as the last line of defense.

"There is no escape!" Bogo announced. "You are facing the best of the ZPD's Precinct One!"

The officers had their weapons drawn and aimed at the Assassin.

"Oh boy, this should be fun," Nick said. "They better hope he's in a good mood."

"The double agent must be one of them. Not including Bogo of course. Maybe that's why he's doing this."

In the main lobby, the Assassin quietly stood in the center. The officers hoped he would surrender, but instead, they fell for the same old trick again. A large cloud of smoke engulfed them, enough to stun the officers but light enough to clear easily. The smoke finally cleared and the air remained breathable. To their surprise, they saw the Assassin in the same position but noticed something different. Their weapons were missing from their possession and belts. The officers looked to see the Assassin holding a cloth bag containing the weapons. What happened next further surprised them. The Assassin revealed a ball with a string attached. He pulled the string and quickly placed the ball in the bag. After tying the bag, he heaved the bag as far away as possible from them. The officers questioned the action when their answer came a few seconds later. The bag exploded and destroyed the weapons. The situation quickly became more dangerous for the officers. They wondered if he had more explosives on him.

While distracted, the sprinklers went off thanks to the combination of the smoke screen and the explosion earlier. This drastically changed the environment.

"Okay, that was clever." Nick admitted.

"Clever how?" Judy asked, wondering what Nick was thinking.

"He just evened the playing field."

Judy immediately understood his statement. "Smart mammal."

Without their weapons, the officers had no choice but to use their physical strengths with extreme caution, refusing to be deterred by how dangerous the Assassin is. Relying on experience from the sparring matches, they immediately got into fighting stances and waited for the Assassin to make the first move. In their minds, the officers lavished the opportunity to see how the Assassin fairs in the open instead of the shadows. The Assassin simply raised his fists clenched together and signaled.

At that moment, the officers moved in for the takedown. Grizzoli performed a flying kick but the Assassin caught his foot before he hit him. The white wolf fell to the floor and the Assassin stepped hard on his abdomen, breaking a few ribs. Three others charged in but the Assassin deflected their attacks. Francine tried to grab the Assassin with her trunk but the Assassin caught it instead. He pulled Francine in close and proceeded to punch her repeatedly in the face before using all his strength to knock the elephant to the floor with assistance from the wet floor. The Assassin broke one of Francine's hooves causing her to trumpet as he dodged an incoming kick. Snarlof charged in to grab him when the Assassin caught both his arms and swept the polar bear to the floor with his leg. The Assassin kicked away an incoming officer before breaking Snarlof's leg. He punched another officer and backed away as Wolford flew by attempting a flying kick.

* * *

Back in the surveillance room, Judy and Nick watched the scene unfold in silence. With her ears down, Judy covered her mouth with her paws and had a look of horror on her face at what she was seeing. Nick gulped nervously and had the same look as when Judy busted him for tax evasion.

* * *

The Assassin pushed down another officer as Higgins attacked. He blocked him and pushed the hippo to the ground. The Assassin then unleashed a series of high-speed punches on Higgins's chest and then his face, essentially incapacitating him. The Assassin quickly returned his attention to the remaining officers, waiting for the next attack. They, including Bogo himself, were hesitant to strike, shocked from witnessing such display of strength and brutality. After few seconds, Wolford reluctantly charged forward. The Assassin blocked the attack and hit Wolford in the neck to stun him. He then brought his head down and kneed the wolf in the head. The Assassin turned Wolford around, grabbed his head, and tossed him away. Wolford fell to the ground hard head first and was incapacitated. McHorn charged in but the Assassin used his large size against him and tripped the rhino. McHorn fell to the ground hard from the momentum. Before he could recover, he felt his bones break in his shoulder and lower ribs.

Only Delgato, Fangmeyer, Bogo, and the Boar remained. In a desperate attempt to bring down the Assassin, they all attacked at the same time, hoping their combined attacks and size would give them the break that was desperately needed. Instead, their plan failed as the Assassin deflected each and every one of their attacks. With each deflection, the Assassin launched his own to lessen the numbers. First, the boar was kicked away and then Bogo was knocked away by a punch in the face. The Assassin pushed Fangmeyer away before delivering knockout blows to Delgato to his neck and head and then to Fangmeyer to her neck and belly. Fearless as he is, Bogo threw a few punches before he was punched in his chest to the ground by the same high-speed punches delivered to Higgins moments earlier that left him twitching.

The boar remained lone fighter standing, and he quickly considered the options. He never expected this from someone smaller than him. The boar's chances quickly dwindled as the Assassin slowly approached him. In a panic, the boar attacked, but the Assassin caught him and landed a few blows to stun him. He then grabbed the boar and flipped himself over. He turned himself around midair, still holding on to the boar. While falling behind him, the Assassin pulled the boar down off his feet. He landed safely and now held the boar's head in his paws. The boar struggled to break free as the Assassin proceeded to punch him in the face repeatedly until his nose began to bleed.

Seeing that, the Assassin stopped and activated the hidden blade. The boar's face expressed his fear at his incoming fate. But instead of immediately claiming his life, the Assassin opened up his uniform with the blade. There, hanging around the neck was a necklace in the shape of an incriminating red cross. That was all the Assassin needed to see. The boar's eyes widened in horror as the Assassin raised his arm with the blade still activated and snuffed him out. All present or watching witnessed the assassination.

* * *

"Is this all you came to do? To take my life? Was it necessary to hurt the others?"

"I came here for more than that. As for the other officers, you left me no choice. They are fortunate to escape with their careers intact."

"I hope the pain and suffering you caused is worth it."

"How does that compare to their heartbreak when they find out who you really are and how you used them?"

"I would have protected them in the new Zootopia. It matters little now. The ZPD will not take kindly to you murdering a police officer in the line of duty."

"That is until they see your sabotage to their operations and the information you leaked to your Order, then they'll reconsider. They trusted you as one of their own and this is how you return the favor."

"You will still be punished for this. Even you must know that it is a crime."

"I'm prepared to deal with the consequences."

The boar scoffed at the defiance. "So what else did you come here for?"

"To retrieve information necessary for me to expose your Order's true motives and make some friends at the ZPD."

The boar weakly laughed at the last part. "Now who in their right mind would want work with you?"

"I'll give you a hint. They're the first of their kind."

A few seconds later, the realization came. "Of course." The boar exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin took out a white feather and stained it with the boar's blood.

* * *

Judy was stunned over the fight's outcome. "Sweet…Cheese...And...Crackers."

"Well," Nick slowly said, also stunned. "At least the rest are not dead…I think."

The two heard sirens and helicopters approaching the building. From the outside cameras, the reinforcements from the other Precincts have arrived.

"What do we do?" Judy asked. "They need to get in, but the Assassin might be caught."

Nick sighed. "He's going to have to take care of himself. We can at least use their arrival as an excuse as to why the Assassin escaped."

* * *

The Assassin recovered the necklace and dropped the boar at the same time the sprinklers stopped. He heard the sirens approaching, signaling him of reinforcements.

"You're trapped now!" Clawhauser cried from the front desk. "The rest of the entire police force here!"

The Assassin looked over to the cheetah, who immediately cowered behind the chair, his confidence gone instantly.

Ignoring him, the Assassin fled to the back exit. The last line of defense lasted no more than three minutes. The lockdown was lifted allowing the reinforcements from the other precincts to enter the building. They were horrified the wounded officers and the dead boar officer that lay before them. Clawhauser immediately alerted them to the direction the Assassin last fled in. Realizing they might have given him a chance to escape, the rest of the Precinct police force surrounded the building. Despite sweeping all of Precinct One, he was nowhere to be found. Judy and Nick were able to cover for themselves and the Assassin since no one else witnessed what occurred in the surveillance room between the three.

The attack left ZPD devastated that was reinforced by the carnage left behind. While the incident remained a secret, it was a serious blow to the morale of the ZPD. A private funeral was held for the fallen officer and boar's relatives were informed that he died on duty as the official story. Because one of their own was attacked, the rest of the ZPD were now determined to catch the Assassin to show their resolve and avenge their fallen officer.


	7. Templar Order

In the aftermath, Judy, Nick, and those wounded during the infiltration were given time off to recover. Judy and Nick used the opportunity to finally meet with the Assassin face-to-face. They rode in Nick's car to the site of the first murder the next morning.

"So we know the location but not the mark," Judy said. "I doubt a feather would stay in place for long for us to find it."

"I know the mark."

Judy raised her brow and looked at Nick. "Really? How?"

"I saw it on the belt strap when he was in the surveillance room."

Judy remembered the mark on the Assassin's outfit. "That's right. Good eye, fox. Hopefully, he's there waiting for us when we find it."

Nick placed a paw on his chest. "Why thank you. Now I suggest we split up to cover more area."

"Okay, we'll inform each other when one of us finds it."

Nick parked at a meter and filled it up.

"Better not find a parking ticket when we come back." He said in a mocking tone.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Har har."

They separated and searched in the alley. Fortunately for them, the Chiefs of the Precinct have yet to put out the order to have the alleys watched thanks to a more _pressing_ matter.

Minutes later, Judy received a call from Nick. "Carrots, I found the mark."

She hurried over to him. "Where is it?"

"Right there." Nick said, pointing to the spot.

The bunny followed his finger and saw the symbol. "Interesting." She took a photo of it on her phone. "Have you seen him?"

Nick shook his head. "Not since I found it."

"We'll wait here then. We have until the end of the day."

"Do you want a pawpsicle while we wait?" Nick offered while holding one for himself.

"Thanks." Judy took it and the two discussed their questions for the Assassin.

"So do you still want to make the arrest?" Nick asked, now that they had seen a different side of the Assassin.

Judy sighed. "Yes and no. While the Assassin must answer for his crimes, we'll get more answers this way than interrogating him. "

"I understand. There's no reason to betray the trust he's given us."

"Besides. Those mammals will come after us if they discover our side investigating. We're not in the position to remove our only protection."

"It doesn't have to be that way. I'm sure the ZPD can protect us once we come forward with this. Don't forget Mr. Big is also against these mammals too."

Judy looked at Nick, confused and curious. "Since when did you become so optimistic?"

Nick smirked. "Since I've been hanging around a certain cute, gray bunny for years."

The bunny tossed her pawpsicle stick at Nick, scoring a direct hit on the forehead. "Dumb fox."

The fox could only chuckle as he picked up the dirty stick. "At least your aim is improving."

"Do you want me to try again?" Judy challenged.

"Maybe later, unless you want to get your paws dirty." The fox said as he tossed the sticks into a nearby trash can.

"Ugh! Pass!"

* * *

During their conversation, Nick and Judy heard an eagle's screech. They looked deeper in the alley to see the Assassin standing there. Nick and Judy got off the walls and the three came face to face once again, staring in silence. Nick and Judy realized they finally have the opportunity to get a full detailed observation on the Assassin's appearance. The robe was mainly black with highlights of blue, white, and gray in various locations. His arms were crossed, but Judy and Nick could see the braces on the wrists that held the murder weapons. Judy saw around the waist a red sash and a belt with the buckle displaying the mark the Assassin told them to search for. Meanwhile, Nick focused on trying to get a read on him. He considered the Assassin fortunate that the beaked hood prevented him from looking directly into the eyes. Still, the exposed facial features and the long tail coming out from under the robes were enough for him, and Judy soon after, to determine that the mammal standing before them is a black furred feline.

"You two continue to impress me," The Assassin said, finally breaking the silence.

Judy and Nick broke from their observation and returned their attention to him.

"Not many would be able to figure out the cryptic messages." He continued.

Nick stood with pride. "We told you can trust us."

The two could see a faint smirk appear on his face. "I'll determine that, but I am curious to know why you would risk your career in meeting with me."

"Because Officer Wilde and I discovered shocking and incriminating evidence from the mammals you killed and from speaking with those they associated with." Judy said.

"We knew the only one who can explain this is you." Nick added.

"I assume you kept this a secret?" The Assassin asked, already knowing their response.

"Correct," Nick confirmed. "We wanted to wait until we have everything or it will cause pandemonium in Zootopia."

"In the meantime, we've been doing our own investigation and uncovered more ever since." Judy said.

"Then you are already proving yourselves more trustworthy," The Assassin turned around and motioned forward with his head. "Follow me and I'll fill in the gaps."

Judy and Nick followed him to the middle of the alley. The Assassin knelt down at a particular spot and flicked both wrists to activate the blades. Seeing the mechanism caused Nick and Judy to be more intrigued with the weapons. The Assassin jammed the blades into the ground and pulled up until a piece of the ground lifted. Nick and Judy were surprised to see a hidden sewer cover.

"I didn't know there was a sewer tunnel here." Judy said in amazement.

"There isn't," The Assassin said while lifting the cover. "This is a secondary entrance. What you are about to see is why I assassinated the ZNN reporter earlier. I hope you're ready."

"Clever," Nick admitted. "Where is the main entrance?"

The Assassin succeeded in opening the tunnel. "I trust you enough to reveal the information, but you're going to have to earn the rest."

"Understandable." Judy said in disappointment.

Judy and Nick entered first and then the Assassin last to cover the hole. The three climbed down into a dim tunnel.

"It's not too far from here."

Filled with hope, Judy and Nick followed the Assassin.

"I never saw this tunnel in the public systems," Judy observed. "Did you built this?"

"No, the other Assassins did back in the early days of Zootopia. The tunnels connect to our hideouts throughout the city."

"There's more of you?" Judy asked, wondering if they were going to meet other Assassins.

"Yes," Nick and Judy heard the depressing tone. Knowing how much trouble they went through for this opportunity, the two withheld questions on that topic for the time being.

Nick quickly changed the subject. "This is impressive. I wish I discovered this earlier. A lot of trouble could have been avoided."

"Even if you did, you couldn't access them. Only Assassins and their allies know how to."

It worked and the three were silently grateful for the subject change.

"Where are the other tunnels you mentioned?" Judy asked.

"They became less used over time until only a few remained active to maintain a presence. Right now this is the only one I know of since I never visited the others. Finding them is one of my side projects when not preparing and carrying out assassinations."

"I have to give them credit," Nick said. "It's no small feat keeping all of this a secret from both sides of the law."

"The last thing we need is to draw unnecessary attention to our resources and influence."

They made a few turns here and there. The smell from the sewer increased slightly but it didn't bother them.

"I'm curious," Nick said. "How are you able to imitate an eagle's screech?"

"I got lessons from one. It comes in handy when you need a distraction or secret code."

"And the feathers?"

"Molting during the lessons."

"Ah, makes sense."

"If you don't mind, can you tell us your name and species?" Judy asked, hoping the subject isn't too sensitive.

"My identity will remain a secret for safety reasons, but I am considered unlucky by most mammals. My growth spurt didn't help me either."

"So you were bullied as a kid too," Nick feeling sympathetic. "That makes three of us."

"Wait, are these mammals the ones who bullied you when you were little?" Judy asked, wondering if this was for revenge.

"No, that was a long time ago, and I moved on. What these mammals are planning is far worse than those bullies."

"You mentioned a growth spurt. Then how tall were you supposed to be?" Nick asked.

"Just above your size, Officer Wilde."

The Assassin's words confused Judy. "How does that make any sense? Size always helps."

"Like I said, when they couldn't bully me on my appearance, they resorted to superstition."

Judy and Nick could not believe how this could happen to him, but they knew this was a very sensitive topic. Both understood to take it slow and let him tell when ready.

* * *

The three eventually arrived at a dead end.

"This is it. Don't touch anything without my permission."

The Assassin removed a piece of the wall and revealed a keyhole that he unlocked with the hidden blade. The wall descended to reveal a large base behind. It closed after the three entered.

"Welcome to my little home."

Judy and Nick were in awe of the design. The place was the size of an office floor building and divided into two halves. Vertical support beams were scattered around to prevent collapse. At their end, there was a large space with a work bench and various exercise equipment lying around. Judy and Nick assumed this space is for training. In one corner, there was a kitchen setup that included a fridge, microwave, a bar counter, and a mini grill. Another corner was closed off by wall to which Judy and Nick assume it was the bathroom. On the other end, there was a table with a large computer setup with a large open space just before it. They were unsure of the purpose for the open space but withheld their questions. One of those corners only had a door. They assume it led to another room. In the last one, there was a double size bed with a nightstand and two sets of drawers for clothes underneath the bed.

"How did you even set this all up without the city noticing?" Judy asked, trying to comprehend how the Assassin maintains the place.

"We're under one of the more luxurious apartments. That way the electricity and water use can be attributed to the building's usage. But I'm careful in my use to avoid anomalies in the system."

For Judy, it still didn't explain one thing. "And how have they not discovered this place?"

"The Assassins sealed the entrance from the complex. This floor had a different purpose before I made it my home."

"I can see why you silenced the reporter," Nick said. "He would expose this to the public and get you arrested or killed."

"There's more to it than that."

The Assassin led them to a wall lined with pictures and notes.

"This is all the information I collected from my investigations and assassinations so far. I wish to add your evidence."

"Here you go." Judy and Nick gave him their findings.

He inspected the bags with the notes and the blades. "This is good." The Assassin placed the evidence accordingly. "Okay, take a look."

The two faced the board and saw the pictures of the mammals, crossed out and unmarked. Despite the quality for some, they recognized the mammals in the crossed out pictures as the victims. Under the most of the pictures are their names, species, and occupations.

Judy read the word above the map of Zootopia. "Templars. Is that who they are?"

"Correct. They're a secret organization with members in all branches of society."

"Those are a lot of prominent figures involved," Nick said. "It's like a crime ring with respected citizens of Zootopia instead of criminals."

"It used to be easier identifying them in the past, but they currently perform operations out of public eye." The Assassin revealed the Templar necklace taken from the boar. "I'm surprised the officer carried this on him. Templars rarely identify themselves in this matter nowadays. Then again, few would understand its significance." He hung the necklace over the boar's picture.

The sight of the necklace bothered Nick. "Is that their insignia?"

"Yes. Very few know of their existence, myself and them included."

The pictures led back to two high-quality pictures in the center with one of them circled.

"Look, Nick," Judy said. "The CEO and COO of Depolitio are Templars as well."

"I should have known they are involved!" Nick said, neglecting to mention his assumption of the Assassin and Depolitio working together.

"Their names and positions are known, but this is what is unknown. Arlyss Maverick is the Grandmaster of the Templars. Kazim Karrar is his right paw. Through their connections, the Templars nearly had control of Zootopia until I appeared."

Nick's eyes widened a familiar picture as the details became clear. "Carrots, it's that kangaroo we saw in Lionheart's office earlier and she wore the necklace."

Judy looked at the picture and gasped in horror. "You're right. We need to warn him as soon as we can pin her to this. Good thing he only speaks to a select few face to face. The kangaroo probably held off any further attacks on him temporarily after the failed rally."

Another set of lines connected to various locations in Zootopia marked with question marks.

"What are these other lines are about?" Nick said.

"You'll know soon," The Assassin said. "Let me show what I concluded so far thanks to the information from the police database. Thank you by the way."

"You're welcome.

The Assassin sat down at the computers and began typing while Judy and Nick stood on opposite sides of him. "This should only take a few moments."

While he was typing, Judy noticed bandages on the Assassin's paws and got too curious. "What happened to your paws?"

He paused and sighed. "Even I couldn't escape my own wrath."

"Oh." Judy didn't comment any further, understanding how the injuries came.

As they waited, Nick got curious about the hood and reached to pull it off. Judy glared at Nick for trying to do the same thing as with Bellwether. Nick shrugged her response and continued to reach for the hood. Before he could touch it, the Assassin suddenly grabbed Nick's arm.

"I ask nicely that you refrain from touching the hood unless you want to end up with an injury. Believe me. I can make it look like an accident." He activated the blade to show his seriousness. He retracted the blade and let go of Nick's paw. Nick quickly backed away for his safety clutching his assaulted paw as Judy snickered.

"Dumb fox." She mouthed.

"How did he know?" He mouthed.

The Assassin brought up all current information on the Templars. "Here are their backgrounds and operations. As you can see, their occupations shadowed their motives."

Judy and Nick read the information presented and were shocked at the Templars' actions. This was an ongoing process of slowing changing Zootopia. For what purpose they hope to have the answers soon.

"I can't believe it," Judy said in disbelief. "You would never know they were doing this."

"I knew they were into shady business!" Nick exclaimed. "But I never knew it would be that extensive."

With this revelation, one question became the center of focus for Judy. "When do we come forward with this? All of Zootopia wants to know why you're doing this."

The Assassin sat back in the chair. "Not until all the Templars are dead. If we do it now, they'll use their power and influence to discredit us. You'll be ruined and I'll be dead." He got up and walked to the wall. "They work together like a council. Despite having an appointed Grandmaster, taking out the leader will not dissolve the Order. Even if one is alive, the Templars live on and will make a return. Their power must be stripped before eliminating them." He stopped in front of the wall. "Because they are secretive and my credibility is dead, I need proof to implicate them since my current evidence insufficient. The Templars I've slain said all they know before passing away. So far it's only led to more involved."

"We can help you track them down." Judy offered. "With how many lives they threatened, we can't let anyone else gets hurt."

"I'll take all the help I can get with all of Zootopia coming down on me at this point. I'm happy for your assistance, but you must understand the risks."

"We're willing to take them."

"So now can you tell us about the other set of lines?" Nick said.

"That, Officer Wilde, is what the Templars want and as you can see, neither of us knows the exact location. We also don't know how many are there in Zootopia. It is something that will help them achieve their goal or destroy Zootopia. My hope is for the latter so they stop their pursuit. The Templars know better than to destroy what they want to control. Regardless, Zootopia is in danger if either is found. I can't explain it until we know for sure."

Judy noticed Tundratown marked on the map for a Templar target, a polar bear, and a location of interest. "Is it true that you have leads for Tundratown?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"We have a connection with the crime boss there who can help."

This peaked the Assassin's curiosity. "Interesting, how do two well-known police officers have connections with a notorious crime boss."

"It was an unusual set of circumstances," Nick said hesitantly. "Anyways, we spoke to him earlier. He wants to reward you for killing the Templars because they threatened him earlier."

"It must have been before my arrival, but I'm not surprised to hear they tried to recruit him. Let me gather a few things and then you can take me to him."

The Assassin went to acquire some items and returned to Judy and Nick. The two take the Assassin to Mr. Big's home in Tundratown. One thought burned inside Nick and Judy on the way.

"Do you think that Templar polar bear could be working for Big?" Judy asked. "He may have been responsible for the first attack."

"That remains to be seen." The Assassin said. "I performed little investigation on him because of his low rank."

"Do you want to help find that Templar?" Nick asked.

"After we find the location of interest."

Judy and Nick let the Assassin focus on preparing his case for their meeting with Mr. Big, but they did have the occasional talk. At the gates to Mr. Big's home, the polar bears recognized the two officers but questioned the third passenger during the security check.

"Who is that with you?" One of them asked.

Judy looked back at the Assassin and then at the polar bear. "He's the one who killed the mammals threatening Mr. Big."

The polar bear and the Assassin made eye contact. "I see. We've been waiting for you." They let them in and informed Mr. Big of their arrival. The trio is met by polar bear guards who escort them toward Mr. Big's office.


	8. Seismic Expedition

The atmosphere was different this time around on Nick and Judy's most recent visit to the Big estate, and it was all because of their guest. The Assassin's presence brought an air of fear and respect for his abilities rather than his personality. Raymond and Kevin walked behind the Assassin while Judy and Nick were in the front. Anyone they passed by became silent and stiff when their eyes fell upon the Assassin. Even the polar bears escorting the three remained on guard in case he decided to strike. Just before reaching Big's office, they encountered a polar bear carrying an Arctic shrew.

"Juju! Nicky!"

"Fru Fru!" Judy exclaimed.

She and Nick stepped forward to greet their friend. Fru Fru kissed Judy on the cheeks and shook fingers with Nick.

"How's the baby?" Nick asked.

"Oh, she's having her nap right now. Poor thing fell asleep before you got here."

Her eyes then fell upon the Assassin standing a few steps away and her sweet personality instantly disappeared. Nick and Judy noticed this and quietly stepped to the side. The only sounds in the hall came from the snow falling outside. Nick and Judy waited in anticipation for Fru Fru's response.

The Arctic shrew raised her arm and beckoned the Assassin forward. "Come here please."

He stepped forward and to their surprise, stopped right by Nick Judy. Everyone else watched him removed the braces and the umbrella and give the items to Nick and Judy. Confused, they took the items and watched the Assassin close the distance between himself and Fru Fru before stopping arm's length.

Not satisfied, Fru Fru beckoned him further. "Bring your face close to mine."

The Assassin obeyed and he was now noses to nose with the daughter of Mr. Big. Fru Fru moved to the edge of her polar bear's paw and kissed the Assassin on both cheeks. Nick and Judy released a breath they unknowingly held, worried that she would yell at him for the trouble he caused in Zootopia.

Fru Fru smiled back at the Assassin. "Thank you."

He returned the gesture. "You're welcome."

"Go on. Daddy's waiting for you."

He nodded and went to retrieve his weapons. Nick and Judy handed them back and he put them on.

"Shall we?" He said to their escorts.

Raymond motioned the trio forward and they continued on to Big's office. At the room, Kevin opened the door and the five entered to see Mr. Big, his handler Koslov, and multiple polar bears waiting for their visitors. All eyes except for Nick and Judy's were on the Assassin. Mr. Big finally broke the silence by raising arm with the ring. Nick and Judy stepped forward to kiss the ring. The Assassin simply bowed in respect, assuming the ring kissing was a family thing. With the introductions made, Nick and Judy finally spoke.

"Mr. Big, we'd like you to meet a new friend of ours." Judy said.

"He's all yours." Nick said.

Once again, the Assassin gave his braces and umbrella to Nick and Judy and stepped forward. The act of presenting himself as harmless surprised Mr. Big. Silence occupied as the Assassin and Mr. Big made eye contact despite their eyes being shadowed.

"Put back your weapons. We speak as acquaintances. Not enemies." Mr. Big began.

The Assassin held his paws out and Nick and Judy returned the items. He put the weapons back on and stood straight with his paws behind the back.

"So, you are the one responsible for their deaths on the news." Big continued.

The Assassin nodded but remained silent.

A smile then formed on the Arctic shrew's face. "I offer you my thanks for saving the life of my family and myself and wish to reward your actions. You should consider yourself fortunate since I initially wished to punish them."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad to see you have a change of heart."

"But before I can reward you, I must know a few things. You should know my first question."

"I do."

"Who are these mammals and what do they want from me?"

"If you don't mind, I wish for only a select few to be present when I answer. The information is very sensitive."

"Hmm. Very well, who do you want?"

"Judy and Nick for me since they earned the right to know. Your most trusted bodyguard for you to put your bears at ease."

"I can agree to that. Koslov, you stay here. Everyone else, leave."

The remaining polar bears left the room until only Judy, Nick, Mr. Big, Koslov, and the Assassin were left.

"Now then." Mr. Big said.

"Those mammals who came to you with their offer and threaten you are a secret order called the Templars. Tell me what they told you so I can confirm or deny. I owe Nick and Judy an explanation as well."

"I see. To begin, their goal is to have peace in all things by creating a New World Order. I longed to have influence beyond Tundratown and that's what appealed to me at first along with their plans to accomplish it."

"All true."

"What problems did you have with their offer?" Judy asked.

"Their plans involve controlling and unifying Zootopia." Mr. Big said. "As mentioned before, they believe that order, purpose, and direction are the key. But that is not why I ultimately refused. What they were willing to do is what turned me away. My Grandmama taught me better."

"Correct," The Assassin said. "Their methods are highly questionable. Deception, manipulating individuals and events, murder, and warfare to name a few. Ironic how the Templars say they look out for individuals yet have an unethical treatment of them and tend to commit atrocities for the greater good."

"We've seen that a few times already." Nick confirmed.

"So Mr. Big," The Assassin continued. "Will you aid me in bringing down the Templars?"

There was a brief pause as they waited for his response. Nick and Judy hoped he would say yes, but the Assassin only cared to not have Big as an enemy.

"I want to be sure I can trust you before I give my answer. I do not wish to suffer the consequences from this."

"I'll be brief to not waste any more time. No one will know of our alliance because I work in secret. The only time you will ever see me is when I need your aid. Otherwise, all the preparations and operations are done by me alone. I can also promise that no harm will fall upon you, your family, Hopps, and Wilde because of my actions. My creed forbids it. However, if your actions cause the Templars to retaliate, I cannot be held responsible, but I will assist any way possible."

The room became silent again as Mr. Big carefully thought over the proposition. "Hmm, your reasoning has convinced me. I will aid you in your fight."

"I also ask that you not speak to this information to anyone. The Templars have ears in places."

"It's the least I can do to pay forward the services you have given me for free."

"Thank you. Your bodyguards may return so they can hear my purpose in Tundratown."

Mr. Big snapped his fingers and his polar bears came back into the office and stood in their positions.

"Before we continue," Mr. Big said. "I am curious as to know why you hide your face. I can understand when you are out working, but why here? Surely you can trust me."

"With all due respect, it is for the safety to all who come into contact with me. I do not wish for harm to fall upon those who know my identity by the Templars. You can call me…the Sentinel if you wish."

"An interesting choice for an alias. You are a wanted by both sides from what I heard."

"Mr. Big," Judy said. "The...Sentinel is here because he has information on why the Templars visited you."

"Let me see."

The Assassin pulled out a map of Zootopia. "If you don't mind,"

Mr. Big gave the order and Koslov moved him to allow the Assassin to roll out a map of Tundratown on the desk.

"The Templars and I believe that somewhere in Tundratown is an object of great power. Whereas they want to use it for their goals, I want to destroy it or keep it hidden depending on the exact nature of the object. I also believe the site can house something that could potentially destroy Zootopia. Unfortunately, the operation is questionable in the eyes of the public and requires large funds."

"I see. No wonder they wanted my influence and resources. I assume you wish the same thing."

"Yes."

"Then I will grant my resources to you, but on one condition." He pointed forward with his finger. "That blade of yours,"

The Assassin raised one of his arms and activated the hidden blade.

"I've seen the footage of it in action. It is a very intriguing weapon. Would you be interested providing some for myself and my bodyguards?"

"Of course, as long as I am compensated and I can provide free training for them if you wish. But it must be after the Templars are eliminated. Because Zootopia knows of the blade as well, I cannot risk the investigation you will face should they be discovered here."

"I understand." Big motioned his paws to the bears around the room. "The guards who stand around will aid you. You can begin working immediately."

"Thank you."

Koslov took Mr. Big away and the Assassin led the others to the living room. He laid out all of the information on the table as everyone else gathered around to hear the instructions.

"I pinpointed a possible site for the object in question." He placed a finger on the location. "It's on the outskirts of Tundratown so hopefully there won't be casualties. I say hopefully because the object in question will damage if not destroy Tundratown if disturbed."

Judy gasped and Nick's eyes widened at the information while the polar bears remained expressionless. But they all knew how disastrous it could be for Tundratown.

"We must be very cautious and draw very little attention so we can only bring two cars maximum." He then looked up at the polar bears. "Raymond, Kevin, you two will ride with Hopps, Wilde, and I."

The polar bears acknowledged the orders.

"The rest of you will follow behind in another vehicle. At the site, I want the polar bears to stand guard while Hopps, Wilde, and I infiltrate. Do we understand?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Good, I'll give the directions as we drive. Let's go."

The Assassin gathered the information and the group headed for the front door. Before leaving for the location, the Assassin pulled Judy and Nick to the side after the polar bears were gone.

"Listen, before we go. I need to make sure you are not seen with me."

Judy and Nick wondered how the Assassin planned to do that.

"What are you going to do?" Judy asked.

The Assassin revealed to two outfits similar to his except for the size difference. "This will hide you from sight."

"I'm not sure if this is a good idea." Nick said with concern.

"I know. But if you're seen with me, it will attract unnecessary attention and earn you the wrong reputation. This is only when you are with me and you don't have to use my weapons."

"You do have a point." Judy said.

Nick sighed. "I hope you're right about this."

They took the outfits.

"How come you didn't tell Mr. Big about the Templar target?" Nick asked.

"He has enough to deal with. The last thing Mr. Big needs to know is someone living in Tundratown spying on him. You'll know when it happens."

"Okay then, so why did you tell Mr. Big to call you the Sentinel?" Judy asked. "The Templar note called you an Assassin."

"It's for his safety. The less he knows about me, the less chance of increased Templar attacks against him. But you are correct, I am an Assassin."

"Will you tell who the Assassins are?" Nick asked.

"Yes, later once we're done here since you found out from the note."

Judy and Nick put on the outfit and pulled the hood over.

"I feel wrong in this. It makes me feel like a murderer." Judy looked up at the Assassin. "No offense."

"None taken." He assured.

"I look forward to hearing the explanation for this attire." Nick said.

The trio met with the polar bears outside and entered the vehicles. The Assassin sat in the front passenger seat while Judy, Nick, Raymond, and Kevin rode in the back. Borrowing the driver's phone, the Assassin put in the directions and relayed it to the other car. Together, they drove to the location and hoped the Templars were not already there.

* * *

Both cars arrived near the destination and the group walked from there. When they got close, the Assassin quickly gave the order to hide and they went prone behind a small hill. They peeked out and saw a large group of mammals at the site.

"Where did all those mammals come from?" He asked.

"They must be the Templars or at least hired by them." Judy said.

"Great, how do we get past them?" Nick asked.

"Let me think." The Assassin then got an idea and turned to the guards. "You polar bears want to teach the Templars a lesson right?"

They eagerly nodded.

"Now is the opportunity. This is where the second vehicle comes in. If they see Mr. Big's car passing by, I'm certain they will pursue because of the _light security_. Keep them away for as long as possible. Are you up for the task?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Good, move on my signal. The two who rode in our car will come with us. There will be a few left behind to watch the site. We need to sneak by them and maybe knock a few out. I can't do this by myself so I need your help."

"But what can we use for a silent takedown?" Nick asked.

"Did you two get your tasers replaced?"

"Yeah, but they're not exactly silent." Judy said.

"Just cover their mouth as you hit them a few times in the chest or neck. You can draw them to you through whistling if they're too far. Do you have extra radios on you?"

Nick took out an a radio and gave it to the Assassin. "We brought it just in case."

He took the radio and set it on a secure channel before putting it away. "Good, I'll direct you to the targets."

Judy took a deep breath. "Okay, we will."

"Good thing we're wearing these robes." Nick said.

"Told you they would come in handy." He turned to the polar bears who rode with them. "I assume the two of you know how to perform a silent takedown?"

The two polar bears nodded.

"Excellent. Second group, go distract them."

They nodded and went to the vehicle. The first group waited for the second to drive by the site. Soon, they heard a vehicle approaching and saw them drive by. Just as they hoped, most of the Templar forces immediately turned their attention to it. "Move!" The Assassin ordered. They entered the site and hid close to each other behind various objects. Two mammals were preventing them from moving forward.

"They're mine." The Assassin silently approached with a closed umbrella and the taser out. He pulled the first to the ground with the umbrella and tasered the mammal unconscious. He then performed a silent takedown with the umbrella on the second. "Follow me."

Judy, Nick, and the two polar bears followed him through the site. This time, a cougar and a panther were blocking their path with Judy and Nick close by them. The panther stepped away leaving the cougar alone.

"You're closer Judy, so the honor is yours."

Judy took a deep breath. "Okay."

She whistled from her location. The feline heard the noise and followed it to Judy's hiding spot. The bunny waited patiently with her taser out and ready. When the cougar came in view, Judy immediately jumped forward. The cougar noticed too late as the bunny jabbed the taser into the neck. The cougar convulsed and fell to the ground. Judy held the taser to the struggling mammal until the cougar went limp. When it was done, she separated the taser and released her breath.

"It's done."

"Good, now hide the body before the panther returns."

"That might a problem," Nick said. "The panther is coming back and he noticed the tracks left in the snow."

"Oh no," Judy frantically said. "What do I do?"

"I got this, Carrots."

"Be careful Nick." The Assassin said.

The panther caught a glimpse of his comrade lying unconscious in the snow and rushed over to check the cougar's status. With his attention diverted, the feline was unaware of the danger approaching from behind. The panther realized too late as he was pounced to the ground and felt a surge of electricity going through the body until losing consciousness.

"All clear!" Nick confirmed while moving the panther out of sight.

"Sweet cheese and crackers, that was too close!" Judy said, relieved that a fight was averted.

"We need to be more careful in this environment," The Assassin said. "You two did wonderful nonetheless."

The group carefully covered the tracks and hid the bodies before moving forward. While they weren't taking lives, Judy and Nick would rather avoid causing deliberate harm whenever possible. The polar bears though had no issue with the takedowns, dealing specifically with the larger ones. Their displays of action caused even the Assassin to flinch. He made a mental note to avoid any future trouble with Mr. Big. At the other of the site, they discovered cave entrance in the ice wall.

"I hope this is a regular cave. There could be more inside so we must be careful." The Assassin turned to the polar bears. "You two guard the entrance and use your imagination to explain when they return. If they return with your friends," He smiled. "Have fun."

They smiled at the order and nodded with slight outward enthusiasm. With that, Judy, Nick, and the Assassin entered the cave.

Just as the Assassin suspected, there were already mammals inside. "I rather avoid them as much as you do. I hope your police training prepared you for this."

Judy and Nick watched the Assassin climb a nearby ice pillar and scale across the terrain. After determining the path, they followed and were able to get through, thankful for training at the ice wall. The Templar forces remained unaware of their presence. As they delved deeper into the cave, the scenery changed from ice walls to stone walls.

"We're definitely in the right place." The Assassin said.

"I saw pictures of this at your base," Judy said. "What exactly is this place?"

"According to my notes, this is a Precursor Temple from an ancient civilization and the object in question should be at the end of all this."

"Uh, this looks more modern than ancient." Nick said with skepticism.

"I'll explain. We must reach the end before the Templars return."

As they walked, Nick and Judy were amazed that a place such as this was buried underneath. They wondered if there were more like this in Zootopia or the rest of the world. Their thoughts were quickly interrupted when the ground shook. Nick and Judy looked down to see a light shining from the floor that grew bright with each passing second. Caught up in the sight, they were suddenly pushed back by the Assassin as the light became a wall for a few seconds before disappearing.

"That was too close." The Assassin said, breathing heavily as he stood up.

"What in the world was that?" Judy asked, wondering why he pushed them.

"Energy walls. They're a defense mechanism." He cut fur from his paw and waited for the wall of light to appear again.

When the light appeared, the Assassin dropped the fur and they watched it be instantly vaporized from touching the light, leaving the officers in shock. They saw more defense mechanisms activated all over the path in intervals with sections of the wall and floor moving.

"That is some security measure." Nick said.

"This complicates things. Move carefully and take your time to anticipate their appearance." He took a quick survey of their location. "From the looks of this area, we're the first ones here so we're in no rush."

Judy, Nick, and the Assassin carefully navigated to the other side of the cave. There were a few close encounters with the energy walls and unstable structure, but they remained unharmed. After crossing the dangerous and deadly environment, they arrived safely at the stairs on the other side.

"I thought this only existed in movies!" Nick said while taking breaths.

"We should be close now. Not much farther." The Assassin said.

"This object must be very powerful if the builders put so much effort into protecting it." Judy said.

They resumed walking after catching their breath and ascended the stairs into a hall. At the end of the hall, they entered a chasm with a large pillar at the end of the path.

"I don't see anything." Judy said.

"Hold on." The Assassin took out his notes. "Check it out while I see if something must be done."

Judy and Nick approached the pillar with the Assassin following behind looking through his notes. Judy brought out her phone and began recording for evidence. At the pillar, Nick touched the structure while Judy recorded.

"I'm not sure what to do." Nick said.

"There must be a hidden switch somewhere." Judy said.

As the officers inspect the pillar, a section descended to reveal an object suspended above a pedestal. Nick and Judy stared in wonder at the power before them.

"Is this it?" Nick reached for the object.

"DON'T TOUCH IT!" The Assassin walked up to them.

Nick immediately pulled his paw away and looked back at the Assassin. "Why? Is this not the object?"

"No, it is. But not the one that grants powers."

Judy looked back and forth between the object and the Assassin in shock. "This is the one that could destroy Zootopia?!"

"That depends on how deep this location is from the surface. If there are more like this out there in populated areas, then there will be high casualties. We need to leave this alone, and maybe have Mr. Big seal off this location."

"Guys, we have company." Nick said.

The three turned around and saw Templar forces approaching. A beaver emerged from them whom they recognized as a Templar target. Judy quickly stored her phone but left the recording on.

"Well done Assassins, you saved us the effort and resources in finding the artifact for us."

Judy and Nick were shocked at being called Assassins.

The true Assassin immediately stepped forward. "This place does not hold what you are looking for. Take a look for yourselves." He revealed the object. "This is not the artifact, but what holds this entire section of Tundratown together. If you disturb it, part of Tundratown will be damaged and lives will be affected. This is not something we should fight over."

The beaver looked at the object suspended above the pedestal and considered the Assassin's words. "Hmm, you're right. I guess we're done here. Let's go." The beaver turned to leave but stopped to say one last thing. "Of course, I can't let this expedition go to waste and since no one else will know what happened here, I can use the opportunity. Eliminate them."

The Templar forces prepared to attack as the beaver disappeared from view. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin prepared to fight as well. Their current platform gave Judy, Nick, and the Assassin little room to maneuver. But Judy and Nick's size allowed them to move around the Templars forces and the platform. They managed to keep the Templars forces away from the object.

"Do these mammals not understand the danger they are putting themselves in?!" Judy cried while dodging an attack.

"Not as long as they get paid for their services!" The Assassin yelled while launching an attack.

"Glad to see where their priorities are!" Nick exclaimed while maneuvering around the Templar forces.

During the struggle, one of the hired mammals, a ram, charge at them. Seeing this, they quickly moved out of the way. The ram collided into the pedestal and knocked the object off. The object disintegrated upon impact with the platform.

"That's not good." Nick said with worry.

The place immediately shook and stalactites fell from the ceiling. Judy and Nick quickly moved out of the way before they were crushed by one. While Nick, Judy, and the Assassin struggled to stand, the Templar forces slowly pressed their way out of the room.

"Earthquake!" Judy yelled.

"Follow me and don't stop running!" The Assassin ordered.

The Templar forces managed to escape the room when they finally moved. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin tried to follow the same path but it became blocked off from a large stalactite, forcing them to take one of the alternate routes. They escaped the room just before the alternate route collapsed. While running, the energy walls were still active as parts of the path and the cave collapsed around them.

"Why did it have to be an earthquake?!" Nick cried. "Why couldn't it have been a rolling boulder?!"

"Really Nick?" Judy yelled in disbelief. "You want to make a joke now!"

"Less talking! More running!" The Assassin ordered.

Along the way, the three saw Templar forces fall victims to the earthquake and the defense mechanisms. Unbeknownst to the parties, the Polar Strait is above the chasm and collapsing walls caused water to flow in. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin ran for their lives to avoid being trapped and drowned in that section. They safely arrived back in the ice cave but continued running and forced to higher ground. The earthquake revealed more defense mechanisms in the ice cave as they ran. While crossing an ice bridge, it collapsed with Judy and Nick still on it. The Assassin heard their cries and turned to see they survived but separated from him.

"Are you all right?" He called out.

"We're fine!" Nick cried.

"Just keep running! I'll make sure you don't lose sight of me and get lost!"

"Got it!" Judy confirmed.

The three kept on running with the Assassin remaining in sight for Judy and Nick to follow. The two soon were on the same path again but the tremors forced the Assassin to continue running. Even with running and climbing the ice wall, Nick and Judy felt that paled in comparison to running in the middle of an earthquake. Eventually, they reunited at a cliff and were trapped.

"Great, now what do we do?" Nick asked.

The Assassin looked down below. "Jump!"

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Judy yelled.

"Jump like I do. Trust me. There's no time to think about this."

Nick and Judy watched The Assassin leaped off the cliff with his arms out and flipped over on his back as he fell. They looked behind to see the path disappearing. With no other choice, the two jumped off the cliff just when it collapse. While falling mid-air, the bunny and the fox slowly shifted their body position until falling with their backs towards the bottom and limbs spread out. The rush of cold air passing through sent shivers down their bodies. As the ground quickly approached, Judy and Nick mentally braced themselves for the impact. In a flash, all three landed in deep snow below after a long fall, much to the relief of the officers. They came out from the hole made from their impact and take a moment to recover.

"Everyone in one piece?" the Assassin asked.

Nick checked himself for any injuries. "A little shaken up, but I'm fine."

"I can see why you didn't want us to touch that." Judy said while climbing out of the hole.

"We have to get back to Mr. Big and tell him about all this. Hopefully, the earthquake didn't cause too much damage to Tundratown from this location."

They hurried to the insertion point to find Mr. Big's polar bears fighting off the Templar forces. They quickly assisted them and escaped before reinforcements arrive. On the return trip, the passengers of both cars looked out the windows to Tundratown and saw the damages caused the earthquake. Cracks in the road force them to turn frequently to avoid flat tires and or crashes. Boulders of ice littered along the road and its side. As they drive closer to population, smoke was seen coming from the horizon and parts of the ice building were in ruin. They can only imagine the number of casualties.

"Oh no..." Judy said in horror.

"Dear sweet Maid Marian..." Nick responded.

"Permission to turn on the radio?" the Assassin asked in a panic.

The driver nodded and the Assassin turned on to the news.

 _"An earthquake of currently unknown magnitude has struck Zootopia. While seismologists are investigating for the epicenter and the scale, it appears to have originated from Tundratown as the district is reporting heavy damages followed by the Nocturnal District. Reports have come in that the Cliffside Asylum has collapsed into the waterfall as a result of the earthquake. Exact total cost figures are currently unknown, but they are estimated to be in the millions. Casualties continue to slowly climb with incoming reports, but so far no deaths have been reported. Emergency services and the ZPD are currently working to quell the chaos that is beginning to rise. City Hall will issue a statement later on the matter. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you updates on this natural disaster._

The Assassin immediately turned the radio off and the car was silent for the remainder of the trip but the emotions were running high. Judy nearly broke into tears over the guilt from blaming themselves for causing the earthquake. Nick calmly assured her that the Templars were responsible and not them. Raymond and Kevin also comforted Judy, not wishing to see a family member in tears. The Assassin remained silent and facing the window, not wanting to say the wrong words.

* * *

At Mr. Big's estate, the outside appeared intact but they were more concerned for the residence. No fissures seem to pass through the area bring them a slight relief. The cars stopped at the entrance to speak with the guard there.

"The boss and his family?" The driver asked frantically.

"Unharmed."

The news brought a wave of relief to the group.

"The daughter and her family are being taken care of at the moment." The guard then looked at Judy, Nick, and the Assassin. "The boss wants to see you right away."

The three nodded and the guard opened the gates for them. From there, they separated from the polar bears and hurried to Mr. Big's office. On the way, a small wail came from one of the rooms.

"Wait!" Judy cried, recognizing the noise.

She had already gone off before Nick and the Assassin could respond. The two immediately followed, knowing Mr. Big would prefer to have all three of them present. The Assassin followed Nick since he and Judy knew their way around the estate. They finally stopped at a room and the Assassin saw the scene before him. The polar bears stood around a bed that was currently occupied by Judy, Nick, and Fru Fru who held her crying daughter Judy. The Assassin quietly stood outside the room as they comforted the toddler shrew.

"How is she?" Nick asked.

"The tremors woke her up." Fru Fru said, cradling little Judy.

"What about you? Are you hurt?" Judy asked, worried about her friend.

Fru Fru shook her head and looked to her guard. "Tony kept me us safe."

The polar bear nodded in acknowledgment.

Little Judy finally calmed down from her crying after more cradling from Fru Fru and comforting words from Nick and Judy. Within minutes, she had fallen asleep. Everyone in the room and the Assassin standing outside breathed a sigh of relief.

Fru Fru looked up and saw the Assassin. Her face then became serious. "Please come in."

He calmly entered the room. The polar bears released a low growl at his presence but restrained themselves since Fru Fru made the request. The Assassin knelt down at the base of the bed and brought his head in close to Fru Fru.

"Tell me," She said. "Was were those mammals responsible for this?"

"Yes, they tried to have me, Nick, and Judy killed."

Judy, Nick, and the Assassin immediately saw the fire form in her eyes. The Templars had attacked Mr. Big's family once again and all of Tundratown suffered as a result. "Then promise me this. You will do everything in your power to exact justice on them."

"It's my sworn duty."

Fru Fru slowly rocked her daughter. "It's all I ask."

The Assassin slowly stood up. "Let's go. Her dad is waiting for us."

Nick and Judy wished Fru Fru and her daughter well and were escorted to Mr. Big's office by Raymond and Kevin. The room looked surprisingly intact, but the polar bears most likely cleaned it up as evident by the damaged border for the painting of Mr. Big's grandma. The mob boss and his polar bears were in the office waiting for them when they finally appeared.

"Sorry for being late," Judy apologized. "Nick and I had to see if your daughter and her family were all right."

"I would be very upset if you didn't," Big said. "It is good to see you care for them." He then noticed their attire. "I see the Sentinel has given you his outfit."

"It was for our own protection," Nick said. "We couldn't risk being seen and identified by the Templars."

"I understand. What happened out there? Was the earthquake set off from the site?"

"Yes," The Assassin said. "We found the object that could destroy Zootopia at the location instead of granting powers."

"Unfortunately, the Templars were at the site," Judy said. "They must have discovered the location around the same time we did."

"We warned them about the object," Nick said. "They did listen at first but then decided to use the opportunity to kill us."

"We got into a scuffle during our escape," The Assassin said. "One of them disturbed the object and the earthquake happened."

"I see." All in the room could faintly see Mr. Big's paws clench in anger. "The Templars will get their comeuppance for threatening not only your lives and my family but all of Tundratown. The Big family officially declares them as enemies. They will regret of ever attacking us."

"Just be careful with them. They won't hesitant to remove thorns in their side."

"We will be ready. I am sorry you did not find what you are looking for here, but I am grateful to know the Templars no longer have a reason to be in Tundratown for the time being."

"As am I. But they still may come after you, especially after our big exit from the site. They might have gotten a good look at your polar bears."

"A risk I'm willing to take. Is there anything else you wish to do before you leave?"

The Assassin paused for a moment before sighing deeply. "Actually, there is one more thing." He activated the hidden blade and charged forward at one of the polar bears standing near the mob boss and Koslov. Before anyone else could react, the Assassin stabbed the guard in the neck.

* * *

"You just a made a big mistake." The polar bear said. "Mr. Big will definitely ice you for this."

"I earned his trust so I should have no problem explaining how the Templars kept tabs on him and our movements."

"What proof do you have for your case?"

The Assassin revealed a file on the polar bear. "I have enough dirt on you, Templar, to convince Mr. Big to reform the process for selecting his bodyguards." He put the file away.

"My death will not stop the Templars from pursuing Mr. Big. In fact, it will only increase their efforts. Without my reports, they will know something is wrong and will send someone to check. Ironic isn't it? Your actions could be the very reason for Mr. Big's downfall."

"Unfortunately for them, they won't know if an Assassin was involved once I'm gone, and Mr. Big can make up any story about your disappearance."

"They'll know the truth soon enough. Once they do, Mr. Big will only have two options: to join us or to be destroyed along with his family and work." The polar bear exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin stained a white feather with the blood.

* * *

"ICE HIM!"

Two polar bears immediately grabbed the Assassin as another opened the floor to cryonic torture chamber below which was surprisingly still intact from the earthquake. The Assassin did not resist, knowing the consequences for doing so. Judy and Nick saw the fury in everyone else's eyes and rushed over to Mr. Big as they hold him over the pit.

"Wait, Mr. Big stop!" Judy begged. "He has a reason for doing this."

"Just give him a chance to explain." Nick reasoned. "Please!"

The angry polar bears slowly lowered the Assassin until Mr. Big held up his paw.

The mob boss glared at the Assassin. "I will give you one chance to explain why you had the audacity to commit murder of one my guards in my presence. If I am not convinced, you _will_ be iced."

"Thank you. May I have one of my arms?"

The bears reluctantly did so but still held him over the chamber.

The Assassin pulled out the case file from his outfit. "This is a copy of the file on the polar bear I just killed. He was a Templar who reported your actions so they can plan their next move for you. The information comes from months of investigation."

Koslov took the file and read through the information. He slowly looked to Mr. Big a devastated look.

"Is it true?" Mr. Big asked.

Koslov revealed the information to Mr. Big who then felt crushed and betrayed. "I can't believe it. How could he do this to me?"

"And if you put me down, I can show you the most incriminating evidence." He said.

Mr. Big took a moment to recover before giving the signal. The polar bears closed the cryonic torture chamber and put him down, hoping that the betrayal was a lie. The Assassin searched the Templar as the others waited in anticipation. He finally pulled out some correspondence and read it.

"Just as I thought, this a report of all our movements up to this moment," He placed the correspondence on the table. "That's why they were at the site before us. It also includes the updates on the conditions of your estate as well as the fact that Hopps and Wilde are assisting me. They won't know about their involvement now, but I have no doubt he's leaked more before our arrival."

The revelation finally shattered the toughness of the mob boss and the polar bears. They felt violated that one of their own had committed the worse type of betrayal: family betrayal.

"That traitor. I TRUSTED HIM!" Mr. Big yelled and pounded his arm rest but immediately calmed down. "It's a good thing you got to him before I did. I would have done terrible things for his actions."

"I know this is difficult for you to grasp so Hopps, Wilde and I will leave you be." He pointed to the dead polar bear. "Do as you wish with the body. I got what I needed. Be warned, expect more Templar attacks now as a result from this."

"Very well. You have my thanks for this revelation. I will never forget your contributions. My home and services are open to you."

The Assassin nodded and recovered the information. "One more thing." He retrieved a familiar necklace from the bear's neck and placed the object in front of Mr. Big. "Normally I take this whenever I kill a Templar. But since you've been infiltrated already, you will need this to identify double agents."

The arctic shrew looked down at the red cross before him. "Is this their mark?"

"Yes, it looks similar to the crucifix Koslov wears but not the same," The Assassin saw the relief in the mob boss's expression at knowing his most trusted bear was not a Templar. "It may not always be a necklace but this mark is used to signal their members."

Their eye met once more.

"You have done me an invaluable service. Welcome to the family."

The Assassin acknowledged the compliment. "Goodbye, Mr. Big. I hope to see you again soon on more friendly terms."

After the mob boss shook his finger, the Assassin exited Big's office. Judy and Nick silently followed after saying their goodbyes.


	9. Assassin Order

On the return trip to Downtown, it was silent in the vehicle. Judy and Nick sat in the front while the Assassin sat in the back. Judy drove while Nick leaned against the window with his chin resting on his palm. The bunny and the fox occasionally glanced back at him from the rearview mirror. He sat there with his arms crossed silently looking out the window, appearing to be in deep thought. Were it not for them seeing him so often, the Assassin would appear menacing from the way the hood covered the eyes.

They were all distracted by the damages caused by the earthquake to speak. Roads were blocked off as emergency crews worked tirelessly to rescue and save lives, forcing them to take multiple detours. They watched as looters roam the streets and felt helpless to prevent the crime because Nick and Judy were currently ill-equipped and the Assassin would only bring trouble with his presence. Scenes of mammals huddled together on the streets yanked at their hearts whether or not they were now homeless.

Despite their efforts to avoid traffic, it became inevitable as they got closer to the edge of the district with its residents trying to flee. The Tundratown Precinct had set up a security checkpoint restore some form of order. Fortunately for them, they were only checking those entering Tundratown. Even when stuck in traffic, no one still spoke as the emotions ran high. When they finally left Tundratown, Judy and Nick looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

Judy took a deep breath. "Assassin, we need to talk."

He turned his head from the window. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes actually," Nick said, feeling agitated. "When we agreed to help, we didn't agree to the dangers you face."

"That's the risk you take when going up against the Templars. They're persistent if not resourceful, and I gave you ample warning about the potential dangers of the site. Besides, don't you already face dangers from being a police officer?"

"True," Judy admitted. "But we could have been killed."

"Again, that risk is there in your line of duty," The Assassin sighed. "Look, I understand if your reluctance, and I am not holding you back if you wish to walk away. But be warned. Once we part ways, you won't find me at my location. I'll disappear by the time you lead the ZPD there. Should you reveal the evidence, not only will you suffer a backlash, but the Templars will go to the extreme to silence you."

"First off," Nick interjected. "There are two things you need to know about us. One, we do not give up easily. And two, after our experience with the Templars, there is no way we are letting them succeed."

"But that's not the problem." Judy said.

"Then what is?" His tone came off more annoyed than curious.

"We just don't want to be kept in the dark. It's not about us. It's about those who care for us? And how will our friends and loved ones react?"

The Assassin sighed deeply, knowing they were right. "I don't want to frighten you with my answers. But at the same time, I would be breaking my creed if my silence brings you harm. Since you made your decision, I will speak to your heart's content. Within reason. Please keep an open mind since what I say will be one-sided. What do you want to know first?"

"We understand why you waited to strike, but how did you know that polar bear was a Templar or even him in the first place?" Judy said.

"I have this _sense_ that few mammals have that allows me to determine the motives of mammals, track movement, and see hidden things."

"Like a sixth sense?"

"You can say that, but you wouldn't understand even with my explanation. It's something you must experience for yourself."

"Okay then, how about explaining this," Nick said, changing the subject. "Back at the site, the Templar beaver called Judy and I Assassins. From what we can assume, they are a secret order as well?"

"Yes, and the symbol you saw in the alley and on my belt buckle is the insignia. The Templars thought you were Assassins because you currently wear our signature attire. But being an Assassin is more than just wearing the attire and taking on the name."

"Do you plan on recruiting us?" Judy asked, wondering if working with an Assassin means you have to be one.

"Only if you choose to. Those who do not volunteer should not be forced to fight. To be honest, the last thing I need is to involve more outsiders. This cooperation works only because your identities remain hidden, and I intend to keep it that way. I will never ask you to perform an assassination since you are not members yourselves. Leave that to me. But should the worst case scenario occur, stay hidden and do what's necessary to protect yourselves."

"Hopefully, that doesn't happen." Nick said. The thought of him intentionally taking a life bothered him greatly despite that possibility with being a cop. The sight of death is enough to make him not want to cause it, direct or indirect.

"So are you supposed to be sworn enemies with the Templars?" Judy asked.

"Yes, the Assassins fight for the free will of all so that peace can be achieved. We believe it allows for new ideas and growth of the individual. The Templars fear that without some restraint on free will, anarchy will rise. While true, the individual learns nothing, and the Assassins consider knowledge important. Through it, individuals can understand and work together to achieve peace. But even the Assassin Order has its flaws and my publicized assassinations are an example. I'd rather perform them stealthily, but circumstances can change that."

"That's drastically different from your description of the Templars," Nick said. "Yet both orders want the same thing. I don't see why you can't work together."

"Believe me. There were those times in the past but radical Templars and Assassins thought otherwise. Unfortunately, they tend to be the most influential. Overall, our differences are too great and that division eventually became unbreakable."

"So in short, the Assassins and Templars want to accomplish the same goal with different methods." Nick said.

"Yes, but I'm going to be very biased when I say this so take it with a grain of salt. Despite the similar goals and questionable methods, I still side with the Assassins for this reason. If the Templars succeed, they will control every single aspect of Zootopia. Yes, there is a chance of anarchy should the Assassins prevail, but at least the choice to prevent it is still there. It all comes down to this basically: do you want to choose how to live your life or have it chosen for you?"

Judy started to make sense of it. "When explained that way, I can understand your reason. What the Templars want is not what Zootopia is. How can anyone be anything if they're not given the choice?"

Nick sighed and shook his head. "I've seen this all too many times. Good intentions used as reasons to do anything necessary. The Templars are no different."

"Unfortunately, the Assassins are prone to that also. We must be careful not to be blinded by our cause to where we hurt others instead of helping them. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been an Assassin?" Judy said.

The Assassin paused to remember. "Hmm, I joined a year after graduating from college and have been one for twenty years now. The Assassins approached me and said I would be beneficial in their war against the Templars from their scout report. But the Assassin-Templar conflict has been going on much longer."

This peaked Judy's curiosity. "How long?"

"Thousands of years with most of the warfare occurring underground through different fronts. The exception was when both orders were public a few hundred years, but that was almost a millennium ago. The war is a very ugly game of tug-of-war where the livelihood of Zootopia, and the world, is the mark on the rope. Stalemates have occurred, but the conflict eventually resumes. As of now, the Assassins are on the losing side."

Hearing the current situation frightened Judy. "Do you think you'll be victorious?"

The Assassin deep sighed. "Right now I'm only concerned with the current Templars. That's all it matters."

Judy nodded once. "I understand."

"So let me ask you something," Nick said. "You're an Assassin but you take few lives that we know of. Despite having multiple chances, you chose to escape or only injure."

"I take a more professional approach in my work. I don't take lives or hurt others unless I have to." He raised an arm and activated the hidden blade. "It's why the only blood this blade sees is the blood of my targets. I'd be more of a serial killer if I killed everyone I encountered to assassinate a Templar. That's not to say it hasn't occurred in the past but times were different then."

"That's a very interesting blade. Is that the signature weapon for Assassins?" Nick had been wanting to know ever since he first saw it at the rally.

"Correct, it's called the hidden blade and the name is self-explanatory. Novices start off with only one before earning the right to carry two." He revealed the second one before retracting both. "There are also different versions of the blade and it can have other features. Remember that miniature bow on my wrist from the fight in the alley? That's one of them."

Judy and Nick were in awe at hearing the weapon's designs and wanted to see more. Instead, they continued their questions on the Assassin Order in general.

"You mentioned a creed earlier and back at Mr. Big's estate," Judy said. "Is that a code Assassins live by?"

"Yes, it's what separates us from common murderers. The creed and the code are actually two things."

"What's the code?" Nick curiously asked.

"Three tenets that guide the Assassins: Stay your blade from the blood of an innocent. Hide in plain sight. Never Compromise the Brotherhood, directly or indirectly. The first tenet is why I am revealing this information to you. While not a direct effect, it will be my responsibility should you be harmed."

"Huh. If I didn't know you were an Assassin, I'd consider you a vigilante from hearing the code."

"You could say that, but I care less about reputation as long as the Templars are stopped."

"And the creed?" Judy asked.

"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."

Nick and Judy tried to understand the meaning but it left them befuddled.

"How does that make any sense?" Nick asked, finding the creed absurd.

"It's meant to be an observation rather than an actual creed to live by. The best way I can describe it is with a quote from a prominent Assassin."

 _To say that nothing is true is to realize the foundations of society are fragile, and that we are the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences whether glorious or tragic._

"The true meaning of the creed though is something that can only be understood through realization, no matter the explanation. Even that, however, is only the first step."

All the information the Assassin has told Judy and Nick so far was eye-opening and left them wanting more. Nevertheless, they felt glad he opened up and willing to work with them. Weeks of secret investigations and risking their careers and reputations have finally paid off. Having found the motive behind the killings, Nick and Judy were now emboldened to take down the Templars in Zootopia reinforced by their earlier attempt to kill them.

The sound of Judy's phone ringing interrupted their conversation. Seeing Bogo on the caller ID, Judy quickly put the phone on speaker and set it down on the console. "Hello?"

"Hopps," Chief Bogo answered. "Is Wilde with you?"

"Right here, sir. How are you feeling?" Nick responded.

Bogo's heavy sighed was heard through the phone. "I'm still in a lot of pain, but I can return to limited duty. So please Wilde, have some respect for the wounded."

Nick barely had time to respond when a bunny paw grabbed his tie and pulled him down to the knees.

"We are in no mood!" Judy whispered harshly. She took Nick's whimpering as a confirmation and released the tie.

"Much appreciate, Hopps. I assume you two heard the news of the earthquake in Tundratown?"

"Yes, Chief." Judy said.

"Then you understand why I called you." They heard the gloominess in his voice.

"We do." Nick said while readjusting his tie.

"Then I expect you to be at roll call tomorrow morning," They heard him sigh deeply. "I'm sorry for calling you in during your time off but the ZPD currently needs every able-bodied officer."

"We understand," Judy said. "See you tomorrow morning." Judy hung up the phone and a few seconds passed before she spoke. "Listen, Nick and I have been thinking. You should come with us to the ZPD and tell them this information."

If the hood was not over his head, the two would see the Assassin raised a brow. "Care to explain why I should risk being arrested? More importantly, why should they know about the Assassins and Templars?"

"Well, that can remain a secret," Nick assured. "But even you must realize that you can't defeat the Templars alone, and Judy and I can only do so much without breaking the law. You also said they could discover mores sites like the one in Tundratown or even the object they're looking for."

"I did say that yes."

"Then we got to stop them!" Judy exclaimed. "We can't let them destroy Zootopia even if that's not their intention."

"But if we go forward with this information, it will cause mass hysteria. The Templars might even use this as an excuse to investigate other sites."

"You have a point there, but you can't expect to them to stop searching." Nick reasoned.

"No, not really." The Assassin faced the window again. "But I doubt anyone is going to listen to anything I say."

"Now wait," Judy said. "Nick and I are one of the most respected members of the ZPD other than the Chief."

"We'll make sure that the other officers do not go near you." Nick promised.

The Assassin sighed. "I trusted you enough to reveal about the Assassins and Templars so I'm going to trust you to make my visit to the ZPD a pleasant one. I do have one condition. I will only speak to Precinct One. First, they deserve to know why I chose them and not the others. And second, there could be Templar in the other Precincts, but yours was the only one I confirmed."

The second reason stupefied Nick and Judy. That thought never crossed their mind in their pursuit of meeting with the Assassin. Now they were glad to have kept their side investigation a secret.

"You're right," Judy said. "We can't take that risk or the Templars will retaliate."

"We'll do our best to convince Bogo of your conditions," Nick said. "The possibility of turncoats is our best shot."

"Do what you can. Just take me home so I can gather the necessary information. Pick me up from there when everything is ready. Make sure it happens at night. I don't want civilians around when I visit."

They dropped the Assassin off and returned the outfits to him. Nick switched seats with Judy so she can rest from driving through the chaos in Tundratown before returning to their homes for the night.

* * *

"Something on your mind Carrots?" Nick asked while they drove to Judy's apartment.

After dropping off the Assassin, Judy had remained silent with her ears drooped and was currently staring out the window.

"It's about what the Assassin said isn't?"

But she neither responded nor moved.

"Talk to me, Judy." Her behavior concerned Nick and he did not like seeing her this way.

Hearing her first name finally snapped her from her trance. "Yes, it's about that. Mostly this one thing."

"What is it? I promise I won't judge." Nick injecting a little humor in hopes of cheering her up

Judy just sighed, not even bother responding to his humor. "When the Assassin first appeared, I thought he was the evildoer. Then when we found out who the Templars are, I thought of them as the evildoers. But now with our conversation, I don't know anymore to be honest. Both orders want what's best for Zootopia yet how they want it is different. Despite everything we've seen and heard about the Templars, I still feel conflicted over this whole thing. If the Assassin was trying to do that, then he did a good job for me."

Nick could relate to her conflict. Having more time to ponder the words, the fox offered his explanation. "He was explaining both sides and then gave his reason for picking one. I suspect he's doing the same thing for us because our commitment to his cause needs to be sincere. Sure our experience makes the choice obvious and we admitted it to him, but is it really the true reason when you take away the circumstances?"

Judy didn't respond but still pondered the question.

"I think the Assassin wants us to find that conviction; the same one that drives us to be police officers," Nick answered. "And it's not just you. I'm thinking real hard about this as well."

Judy slowly nodded in understanding. "It does make sense." She then looked at Nick. "What about you? Did anything the Assassin say make you think?"

Nick could only smirk. "Ha, that's easy. The Creed. Even if it is meant to be only an observation, what mantra has conflicting ideas and how does it even last this long? Out of all the ones I've heard over the years, this one definitely takes the cake."

"Well think about it from this perspective," Judy proposed. "If nothing is true, what should we believe? If everything is permitted, what should we do? I think that's what the Assassin wants us to think about. It sounds like anarchy, but the Assassin Order's longevity with that mantra says otherwise."

"I guess." But Judy knew Nick remained unconvinced.

"Let me use us as a personal example. You lived with a certain notion about foxes and rabbits, and I lived with a certain notion about Zootopia. Yet we both know they can be false. Hence the former. We each chose a path in response to those notions yet there were many options available. Hence the latter. That's not to say our current path is a bad one. Anyways, going back to that quote and what our Assassin said earlier, it's all about choice. Does it make sense?"

Nick started to make sense of Judy's explanation. "Huh, it does." He was impressed with Judy's intuition. "Look at you Fluff. Already making that first step."

"Well when compared to a certain dumb fox, I'd say I understand the Creed better than him."

"Ouch," He said, feigning offense. "That hurts Carrots."

She giggled in response.

They finally arrived at Judy's apartment and Nick parked in front of the entrance.

Judy took off her seatbelt and paused before opening the door. She turned to Nick and smiled. "Thank you for taking me home and talking about this with me, Nick. My head feels much clearer than before."

Nick smiled in return at seeing his happy bunny again. "You're welcome Fluff. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

Later that night, the two lay on their beds, Judy in her pajamas and Nick in his boxers, as the memories of the day's event and before ran through their minds. As a result, sleep evaded them for the longest time. In the later hours of the night, they finally achieved what they were searching for and immediately grabbed their phones to inform the other. Judy quickly beat Nick to the question.

 _Judy: You still awake Nick?_

 _Nick: I was wondering the same thing, Carrots. I assume your reason for reaching out to me is the same as mines._

 _Judy: You know it. Have you been thinking the same thing I have for the past few hours?_

 _Nick: Nothing gets past you huh? Is your decision the same as mine?_

Judy took a deep breath and took a moment to think before typing her response. Meanwhile, Nick waited anxiously, wondering if Judy still had any hesitation.

 _Judy: Definitely! We can't let him do this alone._

 _Nick: So does that mean you want to be an Assassin? ;)_

 _Judy: NICK! ARE YOU CRAZY?!_

 _Nick: Lol! I'm just pulling your ears Fluff. Now let's try to get some sleep. I'll see you later._

Satisfied with their responses and after Judy calmed down, they placed their phones back on the nightstands and returned to lying in bed. Finally, exhaustion from today's events overcame them and they were fast asleep.


	10. Partnership

Judy and Nick confidently entered the lobby of Precinct One early next morning. Judy had a bounce in her steps and Nick expressed his normal pose of paws behind his back and head raised. Officers in the lobby took in the strange sight for the current situation, unaware of the reason behind their behavior. Ultimately, they passed it off as them trying to remain positive. Judy and Nick approached the reception desk to see Clawhauser slowly eating his cereal.

"Morning Clawhauser," Judy greeted.

Her voice brought the cheetah's attention back to them. Clawhauser looked over to see the two standing before them. "Oh...hey, you two."

They noticed Clawhauser's gloominess and soft voice.

"What's got you all sad, Ben?" Nick asked.

The cheetah slowly set down the cereal bowl. "I'm…still freaked out from that night. I know I should be more concerned with the earthquake, but I can't get those images out of my head!"

Judy immediately understood what he meant. "I remember. You were right there to see everything."

"The way he took down all those officers including the Chief; I've never seen anything like that before. It was like watching Judy in the sparring ring on steroids but only bigger!" He slowly became terrified while recalling the memories.

Nick slowly nodded. "That sounds about right. Ow!"

Judy had punched Nick in the arm for that remark.

"Anyways," Clawhauser continued, with a hint of fear in his voice. "When he looked at me after I warned him about the reinforcements, I thought I was done for!"

"It must have been frightening from that close," Nick pitied Clawhauser for having to be that close. "But we can assure you there's more to him than what was seen."

"Trust us." Judy affirmed.

"Yeah…okay." Nick and Judy saw a small smile appear on Clawhauser's face. "You two really know how to cheer a friend up. Thank you."

"No problem, Ben." Nick said and then giving him a finger salute.

"See you around!" Judy exclaimed.

Nick and Judy continued on to the bullpen, never losing that confidence from when they first entered. Inside the room, they noticed empty chairs while walking to their seat. They never did count how many officers the Assassin injured that night. Only happy that they would eventually return to work and worried that the Templars had all but declared war on the ZPD. Nick and Judy made it to their seat just when Bogo made his entrance. The officers in the room noticed a large cast covering his upper body under his uniform, signifying the extent of the injuries received from the Assassin.

"All right, let's get started." The Chief looked at the officers in the room and could see their anxiety over the damage report. "I know many want to know the damage report so here it is. A 6.5 earthquake struck Tundratown last night. Property damages have reached into the millions as of this morning." Bogo paused as he dreaded the next part. The others noticed this also. "72 confirmed deaths. 24 of them police, paramedics, and fire department. All from that district alone."

The news hit the officers hard, but it hit Nick and Judy the hardest knowing they could have done something to prevent the earthquake. Judy nearly broke into tears and tightly held Nick. Nick himself bit his lip as his paws clenched from the emotions threatening to flood over. It took all their physical and mental strength to not let the guilt overwhelm them. They wanted to come forward with the truth but currently lacked the evidence and it would put the Assassin at risk of being arrested. Their current job was to arrange the meeting and let the Assassin explain everything.

"As of right now, I am currently suspending all your cases indefinitely. If you think your case is vital, please raise your arms and we can speak about it in my office."

Knowing this was their chance, Judy and Nick slowly raised their paws, not bothering to look around if anyone else did. To their fortune, a few others did so.

Bogo checked to make sure they were since with their response before replying. "Those who raised their arms. Please leave the room and wait outside my office."

Judy and Nick wasted no time in running out the room and to Bogo's office, ignoring the stares being made at them. Despite arriving at the office first, they made sure to be the last ones to see Bogo. Even if his patience would be thin by their turn, Nick and Judy knew Bogo would not turn down the opportunity to meet the Assassin. They just need to convince the Chief to not have him arrested.

Minutes later, Bogo finally arrived and took the first set of officers into his office. Over an hour passed as the Chief listened to their reasons for not having their case suspended. Most of the requests were denied if it didn't require the officers to be undercover or meeting with an informant. Judy and Nick remained confident that Bogo will accept their request and be willing to listen. The office door opened and the officers from the most recent meeting came out dejected. Nick and Judy gave them small words of comfort before entering the room.

The two saw Chief Bogo sitting at his desk with his hooves clasped together. "Hopps, Wilde, take a seat."

Nick couldn't resist a smirk and a comment. "How are you feeling Chief?"

The buffalo glared at the fox, knowing Nick was denied the opportunity last night. "Very funny Wilde. I feel like a jackhammer crushed my chest."

"At least you're still alive. How are the other officers?" Judy said.

"The ones who fought with me are on medical leave indefinitely but will recover and can return work. The rest only have minor injuries. That killer is paying our medical bills once he is arrested."

"Maybe he can work it off by teaching you some of his moves." Nick offered, his heavy sarcasm present.

Bogo glared at Nick, but not as intense because of the pain. "I'm not going to respond to that because I'm in so much pain right now. Just sit down please."

"Yes, sir." Judy said.

They quickly sat down in the seat. The room was silent until Bogo asked the question.

"Hopps. Wilde. Tell me why I shouldn't suspend your case. I know it's important, but you haven't produced any results yet."

"Actually, we have," Nick clarified. "But it's something you must see for yourself."

"Show it then."

"We…can't show it to you right now," Judy hesitantly said. "The reason is...uh."

Bogo became annoyed at their hesitance. "Spill it already! My patience is running thin here!"

"Well…uh…" Nick said, trying to break the news of their encounter.

But then Bogo's eyes widened when the realization hit him. "Wait, did you actually meet with the killer?"

Judy and Nick instantly became silent.

"Well?"

The two slowly nodded with hesitation.

"And did he threaten you to not speak about it?" Bogo had every right to feel this way if anyone threatened his officers.

"No, absolutely no!" Judy vehemently denied and motioning with her paws. "We just didn't know how you would respond."

Bogo snorted. "Obviously I'm confused as to how this happened yet immensely relieved to finally have a major breakthrough. Our strained partnership with Depolitio and now this earthquake has been a nightmare so having the killer appear makes up for it."

"Well if you hold a meeting at night, order the officers not to arrest him, and keep it to just Precinct One, then he will be happy to explain his reason for coming forward and the killings." Nick proposed.

Chief Bogo groaned at the proposal, the pain making him unaware of the last condition. "I have serious issues with this. If it were not for the pain I'm feeling now, I would greatly express my opposition. It feels like we're giving in to his demands."

"It may sir, but it's actually for the safety of himself and the ZPD." Judy reasoned. "There could be moles on the force."

Bogo immediately became serious and shot them a glare. "What do you mean?"

Nick took a deep breath before speaking. "We can only tell you this since the killer has the full details. That boar officer was a mole, and we don't know if the other Precincts have been infiltrated," Nick said. "That's why he requests to speak only to Precinct One."

Bogo suddenly remembered the terms for the meeting and then everything made sense. Nothing angered him more than having turncoats among his officers. If there was even the slightest possibility, he would do everything in his power to confirm or deny the accusation. "Very well. Bring him here, and I promise we will make no attempt to arrest him," He quickly raised his finger. "But if we believe he is an immediate threat, we will take action. I will inform the officers about this."

"Thank you, Chief," Judy said. "You won't regret this."

"I hope so." His voice becoming more soft. "I'll let you have the rest of the day off in case you have difficulty contacting the killer. But I absolutely need you tomorrow for the Tundratown recovery."

"We understand, sir." Nick said.

"Good. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to take some medicine."

* * *

As Judy and Nick left for the Assassin's base, they contacted him with the radio they let him keep from their trip to Tundratown.

"Hello? Are you there, Assassin?"

Moments later, "I am. Do you need to come in?"

"Yes." Nick said.

"Make sure no one sees you before you enter. The wall will be down."

Judy and Nick checked for anyone else was around before lifting the cover. With no one in sight, they climbed down the hole and followed the tunnel to the Assassin's base. On the way, the two heard sounds of wood being beaten coming from the direction of the base. They arrived to see the Assassin practicing on a wooden dummy upon.

"Training your skills?" Judy asked.

"That and staying in shape. Give me a moment. I'm almost finished with this technique."

"Take your time." Nick said.

Judy and Nick watched the Assassin complete the combat technique on the wooden dummy.

The Assassin breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, I apologize for the delay."

"No worries," Nick said. "Seeing this explains your combat skills."

The Assassin shrugged his shoulders. "Long hours of practice and a calm mind are all it is. So what's the decision?"

"Chief Bogo has agreed and will set up a meeting." Judy said.

The Assassin smiled and nodded. "Good, and I'm nearly ready with the information to present, especially on the Templar police officer. That will definitely convince them to relax for my explanation."

"However," Nick interjected. "Chief Bogo did warn that if they see you as an immediate threat, they will not hesitate."

"I won't give them a reason. My appearance and actions from my visit should be enough for them to reconsider."

"Since we're waiting on Bogo to arrange the whole thing and our only assignment for today is to inform you, would you consider telling us more about the Assassins and Templars?"

The Assassin took a moment to think. "Hmm. It's only fair since you risk a lot. But I have one condition," He brought is paw out. "Give me all recording devices in your possession. I don't want this information to leak because you are not officially Assassins. And because of that, you two are still on a need-to-know basis. I will not reveal or discuss anymore once I reach that point."

"We understand. There is the danger of knowing too much." Nick said.

Judy and Nick relinquished their recording devices and listened to the Assassin explain the long history and ongoing conflict between the secret orders. The Assassin finally revealed the name of the object being sought: Pieces of Eden. He further listed the different types and explained a few of their powers. One of which is mind control. The main reason the Assassin is working hard to prevent the Templars from acquiring it. Knowing he could trust them, he revealed a few secrets to support his explanations.

The secrets were mind-boggling for Judy and Nick. Despite being told the conflict occurring through different fronts, it did not prepare them for how extensive the Assassins and Templars are. With the revelation, they swore to secrecy to not speak any of it outside the base. After revealing the selected secrets, the Assassin refused to discuss the matter further and returned their recording devices. The discussion then moved to more general topics such as the Assassin's training and lifestyle.

Nick and Judy thought about revealing their newfound convictions to him but decided against it for now. Normally, they would jump at the opportunity to be part of something exclusive if desired. However, years on the police force has taught them that both sides need to come to terms before any promotion or initiation is made. The only thing holding them back was the thought of intentionally taking a life. All three unofficially understood that this was a major obstacle the officers must overcome first.

* * *

A few days later, Chief Bogo notified all available officers and informed Judy and Nick that the arrangements were made. The two then informed the Assassin of the news.

"Assassin," Judy said. "Bogo just told us that everything is ready."

"Good, I'll meet you in front of Precinct One."

"We'll see you there then." Nick said.

That night, Judy and Nick waited outside the building for the Assassin eating their takeout for dinner: a salad for Judy and a bug burger and fries for Nick. They had spent the past few days being part of the relief effort in Tundratown. Their small stature proved valuable in locating and comforting the survivors until bigger mammals arrived to rescue them. To their relief, the seismologists determined the cause of the earthquake to be the collapse of an undiscovered underwater cave but are baffled at the previously unknown fault line. The funeral service for the fallen was difficult but it finally allowed them to release the pent up emotions. Judy broke down crying and had to be comforted. Nick too shed a few tears as the guilt slowly spilled over. They knew very well the Templars were responsible for the losses and on that day, promised to avenge the deaths. Not to their surprise, Depolitio, among other organizations donated to the relief effort. Despite the tension, they put their differences aside for the benefit of Zootopia. What was once a name that represented Zootopia's bright future had become tainted for Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.

"Mind if I get a fry?"

Nick and Judy turned in the direction of the voice and were surprised to see the Assassin standing close. They wondered how long he had been standing there or if he'd just arrived.

"Uh, sure." Nick said.

"Thanks."

Nick held up his box and the Assassin grabbed a fry and covered it in ketchup before eating it.

"How did you do that?" Judy said in astonishment. "My hearing should have picked up your paw pads on the street!"

The Assassin swallowed his fry. "Trade secret."

Judy pointed her fork at him. "Don't think you can keep this up!" She then lowered the utensil. "Are you ready for this?"

"Yes. Although it will be difficult to avoid mentioning Assassins and Templars, my main concern is that my actions or words might offend the officers. I just know they're looking for a reason to retaliate."

"Don't worry about that," Nick reassured. "We'll stand guard by you in case that happens."

"Thank you. Remember that they're on a need-to-know basis. Embellish the details of our roof encounter and cooperation."

"Right up my alley." Nick said with confidence.

The Assassin saw the entrance to the building unguarded. "Something tells me I'm in for a warm welcome."

Judy finished her salad and tossed the plastic in the trash. "Just stay close to us and don't do anything unless ordered to."

"I really hope Chief Bogo did tell the other officers about your arrival or we'll have a serious problem on our paws." Nick said while throwing his trash away.

They cautiously entered the building and discovered the lobby silent with Clawhauser at the reception desk the only officer present. The cheetah faced the door when he heard them open. Clawhauser was excited to Judy and Nick approaching, but when he saw the Assassin with them, the cheetah immediately became frightened.

"Is that him?" He said, quickly cowering behind the desk

"Yes, did Chief Bogo tell you?" Judy asked.

Clawhauser slowly nodded. "He wanted another officer to accompany you in case anything happened. He's not going to hurt me is he?"

"Don't worry Clawhauser. He has no intention to." Nick looked up to the Assassin. "Right?"

The Assassin nodded.

"O…Okay then, follow me."

Clawhauser slowly stood up and nervously led them to the bullpen. At the door, they heard the chatter in the room. The officers were motivated to capture the Assassin and avenge their fallen officer. Clawhauser first entered the room to inform Bogo of their arrival. Moments later, he exited the room and gave the Assassin a warning.

"I wouldn't want to be you right now. The ZPD wants justice for all the damages and chaos you caused, but I will say this and I know Chief Bogo won't admit it. The two of us are grateful for you saving Gazelle's life back at the concert."

The Assassin smiled at Clawhauser's friendliness. "Glad to know I have a few more friends in the ZPD."

"Well then, you should hurry on in now."

"Thanks, Clawhauser." Judy said.

While the cheetah went to clock out, Judy and Nick entered first to make the introductions.

"Chief." Nick said while nodding.

"Hopps, Wilde," Chief looked up from them to see the Assassin standing outside. A scowl formed on his face as they exchanged looks. This display caused confusion among the officers seated, unaware of the Assassin outside the room. They tried to peak out the door, but the Assassin stood out of their line of sight.

"Let me speak first before I let you introduce our visitor." Bogo said.

"Thank you, Chief." Judy said.

Chief Bogo walked to the podium and the room gave him their undivided attention.

"Alright, I know this is late for a briefing, but it is very important. First, I want to congratulate your efforts in keeping this incident at the ZPD quiet. The eight officers injured alongside me are recovering well but it leaves Precinct One short staffed for the time being. A donation pool is open for the family of fallen officer and any contribution is welcomed. Secondly, I also want to congratulate your efforts in helping the recovery in Tundratown. Now onto the meeting. A few days ago, Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde once again made a major discovery on the White Feather Killer case so I will let them speak about it."

Nick brought two chairs so he and Judy can speak at the podium.

"Thank you, Chief," Judy said before facing the officers. "First, we want to tell you the truth behind the roof encounter as it was the starting point for what led to this. Right before we confronted the killer, we almost lost our lives during the chase. To our surprise, he rescued us just before we fell to our deaths."

Understandably, there was a small commotion among the officers. Why would the killer rescue two cops who are trying to arrest him? Especially high-profile figures of the ZPD?

"Yes, we were confused as well and questioned his decision to save us," Nick confirmed. "The only response we got was in the recording. The next time we encountered him was at the infiltration," This part they relied on the story they made that night. "After surviving that encounter, Hopps and I suspected he wanted something else with us."

"After the outcomes of both encounters," Judy said. "Officer Wilde and I took the liberty of doing our own investigation to find out the truth. It eventually led to coming in direct contract with the killer."

"We proceeded with caution and convinced him to come to the ZPD and tell us his information for not only his best interests but also Zootopia's," Nick said and then took a deep breath. "At this current moment, he is standing right outside the room waiting to come in."

The room nearly erupted in a riot and engulfed in a flood of negative emotions. Some officers began to leave the table to investigate. Judy and Nick quickly calmed them down before it was out of control. It helped that Bogo threatened anyone who leaves their tables would be assigned to parking duty indefinitely.

"Please calm down!" Judy pleaded. "We know how everyone here feels, but Nick and I urge you to hold back those feelings. This mammal has information that will break this case wide open. The two of us already got a sneak peek and believe us. It was eye opening."

"However before he comes to speak," Nick said. "You must know the information is very sensitive and must never leave this room. Any leak will not only endanger his life but all of Zootopia's. And now, we will introduce you to our visitor."

The Assassin entered the room and the room became silent. The tension could be cut with a knife. Angry glares set upon him and low growls were emitted, but he ignored them and walked to the hood was the only thing protecting the Assassin from truly making eye contact. If losing their job and being injured weren't consequences, the officers in the room would have charged forward and attacked at the Assassin. The entire room was a tinderbox waiting to be set off. Judy and Nick moved the chairs and let him take the stand while they stood guard in front of the podium. The stern glares the two gave off and paws on their weapons sent the message that they were willing to put themselves at risk in order to protect the Assassin if necessary. The sight of Bogo's death glare and his hoof on his own weapon brought insurance.

"Thank you, Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde." He turned his attention to the officers seated. "I want to begin by apologizing for any injuries I inflicted on you up to this point and say that I fully support the ZPD." He revealed his bandaged paws. "It's not much but even I didn't escape punishment from my actions that night." The Assassin placed his paws back on the podium. "Now, I want to show you something on the officer I killed." He pulled out the file and began posting its contents on the board behind him. "I know many of you here want justice, but this information will explain my reasons for taking that officer's life."

As they looked at the information, their anger slowly turned to devastation. Betrayal from one of your own always hurts, especially if the individual was entrusted to protect and serve. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin could see the cracks forming, but Bogo and the officers needed a little more push before the Templars' plan could be revealed.

"From the information, he was sabotaging your operations from the start of the investigation on me," The Assassin continued. "He allowed the false mayor bodyguard and the tiger dancer to infiltrate and nearly kill their targets. How they replaced the real ones is unknown to even me, but I can only assume the worse. If you wonder why I didn't allow them to be arrested, it's because they would either carry out their orders and/or be assisted by the officer in escaping or setting free after their arrest."

Chief Bogo and the other officers were confused from hearing that last sentence. Now it was their chance to make Precinct One their allies.

"These mammals have much influence in Zootopia, or rather some of them had. They are part of a secret organization that either controlled or currently controls major occupations in Zootopia."

He pulled out another file and posted its information. The Assassin momentarily looked down at the photos of the CEO, COO, the kangaroo, and one other mammal. _Not yet. Too high-profile._ He closed the file and returned to the podium. The officers saw the photos of the different mammals involved with the organization. Some were high-quality publicity photos while the rest were taken from a separate investigation. All but two were crossed out and they understood the ones crossed as slained by the Assassin.

"These mammals worked with Bellwether during the Night Howlers, but she severed ties with them because of differences. In reality, they were only using her for their own goals. To put it plainly, they want to control every aspect of Zootopia so the city can be at peace." He pointed back at the board. "As you can see, they were making progress until I appeared. Now I do not take issue with their goal. What I do take issue is their methods. As explained to Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde, do you want to choose how to live your life or have it be chosen for you without objection?"

Bogo and the officers in the room slowly became more convinced from listening to the Assassin. If the face of the ZPD trusted him, then they should give him a chance.

"Believe me. I was reluctant to come speak because the information is very sensitive. The only reason I did is because my assassinations are making it difficult for me to track these mammals. You are free to choose to assist me. I only care that the ZPD is no longer an enemy. That's all I have for now. I do have one question before Bogo comes in to conclude the briefing." He took out the taser. "To whoever this belonged to, can I keep it?"

He waited for a response but none came. "I'll take that as a yes. Thank you for your time and patience."

The Assassin stepped away and Chief Bogo came on. "I think we all can agree about having a change of heart. This is very serious right now and the livelihood of Zootopia depends on it. These mammals must be stopped before they succeed. We will continue this tomorrow morning. Remember, this information must not leave the building and we must wait until there is more information before releasing this to the other Precincts. Do you all understand?"

The officers collectively nodded. The possibility of moles in the other Precincts was likely given how extensive the mammals' influence is.

"Good."

"And don't worry about hiding my entrance." The Assassin said. "I'll be here."

* * *

The next morning, they all met again in the bullpen to hear the Assassin's plans for taking down the Templars. True to their promise, all the Precinct One officers remained silent on the information and eagerly waited for their orders. The Assassin watched in satisfaction and relief that he was gaining allies in the fight against Templars. The moment the Templars begin losing their power and influence is when the true nature of Depolitio and the secret Orders revealed.

Chief Bogo took the podium to open the morning's briefing. "Now that we had time to digest the information, we can begin working to expose these mammals and their plot. Speak with our visitor if you wish to assist and he will inform you of any assignments. For now, I will let him continue to speak on the case."

The Assassin took over. "Thank you, Chief Bogo. First and foremost, do not, I repeat, DO NOT go after the targets. They will discover our alliance and will do everything in their power to discredit you to the public. We know I already caused enough of that so leave them to me. You can cover up any future assassinations I carry out to protect all of us. Second, do you remember the earthquake reported in Tundratown?"

The officers nodded and immediately gave him their full attention.

"It wasn't a natural occurrence." He pulled out some files. "During our meeting, I convinced Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde to partake in my own investigation. In Tundratown, we discovered a hidden temple that held an artifact suspended above a pedestal. The artifact and the temple served as an anchor for that section of Zootopia and if disturbed…well you heard the news. Before you ask, no, we did not disturb the site. What happened was that we encountered those mammals and warned them about the dangers. They did heed the warnings but decided to use the opportunity to eliminate us."

He could see the anger rise in the room as they waited for the next words. The revelation all but confirmed their determination to bring down the Templars.

"Unfortunately, there could be more of these temples located in Zootopia. While they do not intend to disturb them, their pursuit of a particular site could lead to these and they will not hesitate to secure them. This is another reason why I came here." He lifted the stack of files. "I want you to investigate these possible locations and report the findings. Do not attempt to secure the area if the descriptions match. It will attract their attention and alert them. We'll discuss how to secure the sites when we find them. Chief Bogo will assign the officers and I'll assign the locations."

Chief Bogo took the podium and grouped the officers for the assignments. The officers approached the Assassin and he handed them a file. For Judy and Nick, they remained assigned to him because Bogo did not want to risk other officers ruining the fragile partnership.

"Thank you again for helping with this, Chief Bogo." The Assassin said.

"A pleasure to help, Mr.…"

"Call me the Sentinel."

"Well then Sentinel, the ZPD is very grateful for your knowledge and services." Chief Bogo then exited the room, leaving Judy, Nick, and the Assassin alone.

"That buffalo is going to be a pain to work with I can feel it." The Assassin said once he was sure Bogo was out of earshot.

"You'll get used to it," Judy assured. "He does that to all new recruits and partnerships."

"Why am I not surprised? Nice cover by the way. I couldn't have said it better than myself."

"Like you said, they're on a need to know basis." Nick reminded.

"You did a good job with your presentation as well." Judy complimented.

"Thanks, I'm surprised I made it through without saying the words Assassin and Templar. Anyways, I have a request. I need to speak with Bellwether about the remaining Templars. She may have insight on their plans that will be valuable."

"We can do that," Nick said. "But I don't think entering with your hood on is a good idea."

The Assassin switched the hood with the top hat from earlier. Judy and Nick realized he had just allowed them to see his face. The Assassin had brown eyes and all the features of a feline: eyes, ears, nose, whiskers, etc. Despite the face reveal, they couldn't pinpoint an exact species because the features were a mixture. One possibility did cross their minds but they withheld it for the time being. If the Assassin had a reason for covering his face for most of their encounters, then they will wait on him to tell.

Still, Nick crossed his arms and his face immediately fell with skepticism at the disguise. "You really think that's going to work?"

The Assassin chuckled. "You'd be surprised at how easy it is to fool the eyes. Now all that's left is to deputize me so I can enter with you two. I strongly wish to not reveal my identity."

Nick's skepticism was immediately replaced with a smirk. He took out his wallet and pulled out a sticker with the words Junior ZPD Officer on it. Wasting no time, Nick walked up to the Assassin and placed the sticker on the robe.

The Assassin inspected the sticker for a few seconds before smiling and nodding in amusement. "Nice."

Still smirking, Nick admired the display. "Never gets old. Back on the subject of Bellwether, I hope you have better luck with Bellwether because she didn't say much when we talked to her."

"I'll convince her with my incentives. Just make sure we're the only ones talking."

"We can arrange that," Judy said. "We'll let you know when we're ready."


	11. Malpractice

Judy, Nick, and the Assassin visited Bellwether in the prisons. Much to Nick's disbelief, the disguise and police sticker work as the Assassin entered without any issue. The Assassin remained silent and let Nick and Judy handle all the arrangements with the prison warden. He was able to pass himself off as an informant in a related case. Near the interrogation room, the three saw the guards standing outside the door. After acknowledging their presence, Judy and Nick first entered the room while the Assassin remained behind the one-way mirror.

The next time Bellwether saw Judy and Nick, she was more excited, thinking they were upholding their promise. "Are you going to release me?"

"No," Judy said. "But someone wants to speak to you."

Her excitement immediately turned to bitterness. She sat back in the chair with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. "I'm not talking to anyone until you keep your promise."

Nick then leaned forward to whisper. "What if we told you that someone is the White Feather Killer?"

Bellwether's curiosity immediately peaked. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," Judy confidently said. "And he says he can help you."

The realization hit her. "He's outside. Isn't he?"

Nick clapped his paws together twice in response. Moments later, the door opened and the Assassin entered the room. A sense of fear and reverence overcame Bellwether but her expression remained stoic.

The Assassin stopped behind Nick and Judy. "Nice job."

"She's all yours." Nick said.

Judy and Nick stood in the corners by the door while the Assassin sat down at the table opposite to Bellwether and laid on the table the pictures of the remaining Templars. Their eyes then met.

"Hello, Bellwether. I suggest we keep our voices to a whisper."

She admittedly agreed. "So, you're the Assassin. The Templars mentioned you."

"You know about both Orders?" While he wasn't surprised she knew of the Templars, her knowledge of the Assassins was.

"They explained themselves during our partnership and warned about you when I severed it."

"Good, then you know what I want and we can get right to the point." He pushed the photos forward to Bellwether.

Bellwether quickly put her hoof up. "Not yet, should I expect my end by you?"

The Assassin shook his head. "You're no longer affiliated with the Templars so I have no reason to. You should consider yourself fortunate. I was planning on your assassination before your arrest. Besides, why should I waste the opportunity to learn more about my enemies? Anything else?"

Bellwether felt a wave of relief when hearing that he won't be the cause of her demise. "One more thing, I was told you can help me. I want to know how before I continue."

"Of course," He handed an open file to her and she looked through it.

The file contained information from his investigation on her and the Templars. Three addendums written by the Assassin at the end were important. The first described Bellwether's refusal to cooperate with them any further once she discovered their real motives. The second noted that she was in the process of foiling their plans before her arrest. The last one was of the Assassin's pursuit of Bellwether to know more about the Templars and their plans. She was satisfied with the information.

"This is good evidence, but will it be enough?"

"That depends on the decision and interpretation of the ZPD and the justice system. In spite of your actions against predators, I'll make sure there is no tampering with the evidence."

"Very well." She returned the file to him, glad to know that one predator was looking out for her.

The Assassin leaned forward onto the table. "Now, can you identify the remaining Templars and do you know any of their works being planned or carried out before your arrest?"

"Hold on! I can't tell you that."

The Assassin tilted his head in confusion. "Why not?"

She leaned in closer to him. "You don't know this, but the Templars visited me in prison when they released Lionheart. I was foolish to think that prison could escape them. They offered my release in exchange for joining their Order, but you know why I refused. They failed to recruit my accomplices as well, but since they know little about them, they were left alone. They warned me about blowing the whistle, and I'm not talking about visitors and cellmates. You know what will happen to me if they find out. They have ears in places."

The Assassin nodded in understanding "Then we'll do our best to keep you safe." He turned to Judy and Nick. "Do you mind if I make the room more appropriate?"

"Keep it legal," Judy said. "We don't want to know."

"We'll tell the guards outside as well." Nick said.

Judy and Nick exited the room to inform the guards of the Assassin's intentions so they don't assume the worse. Meanwhile, the Assassin blocked the cameras' view with a roll of duct tape to avoid having their conversation recorded. After Judy and Nick returned, he locked the doors to make sure no one else enters.

"There. Now they'll only find out is if we speak too loud since the tape is not soundproof or a Templar passes by to "check" on us. We do want to keep this quiet of course, and I have one more measure." He turned to Judy and Nick. "Can you place her in protective custody after we finish?"

They nodded.

"Thank you." He returned his attention to Bellwether. "Will you tell me now?"

Bellwether pointed the pictures of a badger and a beaver and whispered. "I don't know their names, but I do know their gender and occupation. Female badger doctor and male beaver scientist, both are currently working on a project. At the hospital where the badger works, she collects blood samples from her patients and sends them to the beaver at Depolitio for analysis. Before my arrest, the beaver reported a match and they were working to bring in the patient for more _research_ at the hospital first before conducting it at the corporation. They expressed great interest because the match belongs to a female. But that was three years ago so I don't know their progress."

"I did my own investigation on them and judging from their lack of activity, they either just brought the patient to the hospital or working on the transfer to Depolitio. But it's interesting. Hopps, Wilde, and I saw the beaver in Tundratown. He must be the one leading the expeditions."

She then pointed the pictures of a kangaroo and a deer. "These two I do know everything about them. Florence Flyer: kangaroo and politician. She handles the legal process for their projects. Wesley Hart: deer and bank manager for the Bank of Zootopia. He is vital in providing some if not most of the funding. I never got the chance to ask where the money comes from, but I suspect it's not legal. Without them, the Templars would resort to desperate measures."

"No doubt they wish to hide their true motives. I may hold off on them until the right time to avoid any jeopardy. You should know that Hopps and Wilde got a glimpse of Florence in the Mayor's office before the rally. She may have had a part in organizing the failed assassination on Lionheart. Mine at the rally did prevent them from carrying out any future ones on the Mayor for the time being."

Bellwether next pointed the pictures of a zebra and hyena. "These two should be familiar to you: Arlyss Maverick and Kazim Karrar, the CEO and COO of Depolitio. I don't have to explain much, but I will say this. Karrar makes more appearances while Maverick tends to stay in his office to oversee everything. Together with the Florence and Wesley, they organize the projects, one of which is in Sahara Square. Last I heard that one was still in the preparation stage. These four I named are very high profile figures. If you plan on taking their lives, it will be difficult now with your public assassinations."

"You forget that I can work with tight security to my advantage. They'll fall sooner or later, one way or another."

"That is evidence from the news stories."

The Assassin collected the pictures and stood up. "Well, that's all I want for now. Thank you for your time and contribution Bellwether. Your confession will be included to further support your case." He revealed a voice recorder and tossed it to Judy and Nick to which they quickly caught.

"Don't forget your promise." Bellwether reminded.

"I won't." He then removed the tape from the cameras and met with Judy and Nick. "Ready?"

They nodded and the three exited the room while the guards escorted Bellwether back to her cell. They didn't want to spend more time in the prisons than necessary with the Assassin in company. Even he admitted to feeling uneasy and avoided eye contact and conversation whenever possible. Once they were in the cruiser and driving back to Precinct One, the three let out a huge sigh of relief.

"That went much better than I expected." The Assassin said.

"Your interrogation skills are impressive," Nick complimented. "But they could use some polishing."

"I understand your point. You would have seen more effective interrogation if I didn't have concerns over the Templars spying on us or the information leaking out."

"So what are we doing now?" Judy asked.

The Assassin crossed his arms. "There are two options, but I already decided based on the circumstances. The doctor and the scientist have just made a huge step forward. I believe they do have their female patient because the blood sample makes it easy to track down."

"What do they even want with her and all the blood samples?" Nick asked.

"We must rescue the patient first. Reason being is that I don't have to explain twice. We go later tonight to avoid civilians and enter with a police cruiser without drawing suspicion. In the meantime, we need to arrange with Bogo to place Bellwether and the patient in protective custody at the ZPD."

"You may have to show him your evidence." Judy said.

"I'll reveal enough to satisfy the request. Once we reach an understanding and I can fully trust him with the more sensitive information, then I will tell."

* * *

Between the Tundratown earthquake, the strained partnership with Depolitio, and the Assassin finally revealing himself, Bogo was surprisingly calm, yet found himself in a dilemma. After being humiliated for a while now, Zootopia finally has the opportunity to end the fears caused by the Assassin. But after this morning's revelation, his intel outweighed his arrest at the moment. Bogo still despised that he and the rest of Precinct One were working on the Assassin's terms, but he knew better than to ruin such a rare opportunity, especially if it means exposing turncoats among the ZPD. For now, he would take it one day at a time and hopefully get on more friendly terms with the Assassin. A knock on his door suddenly disrupted Bogo from his thoughts.

"Enter."

The door opened and Bogo saw Judy and Nick enter with the very mammal on his mind moments ago.

Bogo sighed. "I assume you have something important relating to those mammals?"

Nick and Judy sat down in the chair while the Assassin remained standing.

"Yes," The Assassin said. "I have two requests."

Bogo closed his eyes and put a hoof on his face. _Not even a day and I'm already having to make concessions._ "Tell me and I'll do what I can." He then glared at him. "Within reason."

"That I can promise you," He pulled out a file and pulled out three documents. "I want to put Bellwether into protective custody." The Assassin placed the addendums on Bellwether and slide it forward to Bogo before he could respond. "You'll find the reasons in these copies for your records."

The Chief took a deep breath and opened the file. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin waited silently as Bogo read the papers, hoping it was enough to convince him.

A few minutes later, the buffalo finally looked at the three. "I only have one question before I give you my answer. Did you do all this work by yourself?"

The Assassin understood Bogo's question. It would be easier for Bogo to pass off the evidence as obtained from a private citizen than under the direction of the state. "Yes."

"Then I'll see to it, but don't expect the results anytime soon. Your actions across Zootopia and the earthquake have the city's resources tied at the moment."

"I understand."

"Now what is your second request?" Bogo placed the copies of the addendums in a separate file.

"I also want protection for an individual that is currently in custody of these mammals. From Bellwether's interrogation, this individual is in danger from them."

"Do you have proof?"

"No, but I can get you it."

"Until you do and also somehow bring the individual to us, I can't process your request."

Bogo could see a smirk appear on the Assassin's face that could rival that of Nick's. _Oh no..._

"Then I'll have to fulfill those requirements."

Bogo rubbed his hoof down his face and sighed. "Fine, just don't tell me the details."

"Thank you for listening. We'll see you soon."

The Chief watched them exit his office. He glanced down at the file and sighed.

* * *

That night, Judy, Nick, and the Assassin departed for the hospital where the Templar doctor works. They arrived at the location and parked in a garage where the Assassin discussed a plan before entering.

"Our top priority is to rescue the patient with the secondary being to retrieve the doctor's information. The hospital database should give us their locations. The security cameras must be disabled so we can move freely inside and out or our partnership will be exposed."

"How do you want to approach this?" Judy asked.

"I'll enter from the roof to avoid the cameras. If it's locked, I'll find another way in. Hopefully, I can find an open window on the way up."

"What do you want us to do?" Nick said.

The Assassin handed them the doctor's picture. "Don't wait for me to get access to the patient. Use your imagination to explain your reason. Find the patient while I retrieve the information and disable the cameras. We'll update each other on our objectives. Any questions?"

"What if the doctor is with the patient?" Judy asked.

"Try to stall and let me know through the radio. Anything else?"

"Will you kill the doctor?" Nick asked.

The cruiser became silent at the question. They could imagine the disaster that will occur in the aftermath.

The Assassin sighed, finally breaking the silence. "I hope not on this trip, but I will if she tries to alert the hospital."

"Fair enough," Judy reluctantly agreed. "The ZPD will be alerted immediately when that happens."

"Hopefully, we're not spread too thin from investigating the sites to control the damages." Nick said with concern.

They exited the police cruiser and separated. The Assassin climbed to the roof while Judy and Nick entered the main lobby and approached the front desk. Being night, the receptionist, a porcupine, could hear the doors open and see the two officers approaching.

"May I help you, officers?"

"Yes, we need to see this doctor and her patient." Judy revealed the picture.

The porcupine looked at the picture of the badger and then back Judy and Nick. "She is very busy right now and gave strict orders on who can see her patient. As for the patient, visiting hours are over even for you officers unless you have reasons."

"Well," Nick said. "We have evidence to believe that the White Feather Killer will strike here tonight and this doctor and patient could be his target."

The receptionist immediately became alarmed, evident from the wide eyes and gasp. "I'll let her know about you. Here is their location." The porcupine gave them the information and reported the badger's visitors as Judy and Nick go to the room.

Once safely away, Judy elbowed Nick in the ribs, livid at him complicating the mission.

"Did you have to mention the Assassin?!"

"Ow," Nick groaned while massaging the afflicted area. "He said to use our imagination."

"We're here for a rescue remember! Now how do we get the patient away from her?"

"Relax, Carrots. The Assassin knows he won't get the patient without alerting the doctor whether she's with her or not. It's just a diversion so he can get into her office."

Judy tilted her head in confusion. "How do you know?"

"I've been used as a distraction a couple times before meeting you. It's paid fairly well."

Judy was impressed. "Clever fox."

The conversation was interrupted by the Assassin radioing in. "Good news, I'm inside and currently on the way to disable the security cameras. Do you have the location of the doctor and patient?"

"Yes, but we have a problem," Judy said. "The receptionist tipped off the doctor of our arrival. Not yours, just the two of us."

"Relax. This is to be expected. At least it will be easier for me to get into her office. Stick with the plan and keep me updated. Be discrete." The Assassin ended the chat.

"I told you." Nick said.

Judy shook her head. "Something tells me we're in for a hot encounter."

* * *

The patient's room number was 704. Judy and Nick took the elevator to the third floor and began searching for the patient's room number. Were it not for their uniforms, the staff and security would have questioned their presence. Silence roamed the halls of the building during the search.

Nick leaned over to Judy to whisper. "Don't say this to anyone else Carrots, but hospitals really give me the creeps at night."

Judy sighed and face palmed. "You've been watching too many horror movies again haven't you?"

"Hey, it could happen!" Nick exclaimed but still whispered.

"Yeah, in your dreams."

They eventually found the room number and carefully opened the door. Inside, Judy and Nick tip-toed to the bed and saw the female patient, a large white lynx, sleeping. The two stood by her bed and thought about their next action.

"Do we wake her?" Judy whispered.

"We can't just carry her out of here." Nick whispered.

The lynx suddenly woke up, surprising Judy and Nick. The officers saw the fear in the lynx's blue eyes, giving no doubt that their appearance frightened her.

"Easy, we're not going to hurt you." Nick said while motioning with his paws for her to calm down.

Judy was doing the same "We only want to talk to you. My name is Officer Judy Hopps and this is Officer Nick Wilde."

The lynx looked at her visitors as they flashed their badges. "Please, you must get me out of here!" She frantically said. "The doctor…"

"Forgive my patient's response. She has been through some terrible treatments."

Judy and Nick turn around and saw the badger doctor at the doorway. But something about her felt familiar to them. Within seconds of taking in the appearance, their eyes widened in horror as they recognized the female badger doctor who accompanied Mayor Lionheart at the Cliffside Asylum.

"You must be the officers who are here to take us to safety," The doctor said, oblivious to their expressions.

Nick and Judy quickly shook their expressions off before the Templar badger could ask.

"Yes, yes we are," Nick said with his mask on. "And we have orders to escort you to the ZPD."

"And what of my patient?"

Judy noticed the way the lynx cowered against the bed. The terror in her eyes was enough to convince Judy that she and Nick needed to get the patient away from the Templar doctor as soon as possible. "You first then her. She is not the one being targeted."

The badger's expression quickly changed to one of anger. "No, I will not leave her!" She objected. "Doing so will bring harm upon her!"

But Judy stood her ground. "With all due respect doctor, it is for your own protection."

The Templar badger countered with her own. "With all due respect officers, I am bound by the law and the Hippo-cratic oath to keep my patient safe and healthy." An infuriating smirk that could rival Nick's appeared on her face. "I'm sure you don't want Chief Bogo to know that you endangered a life."

Judy and Nick remained silent, angry that she was right. They will have to find a way to separate the two once they return to the Precinct.

"Good," The Templar said now that they understood. "Now follow me to my office so I can recover my work and continue it at the ZPD. Let me unhook the patient so you can bring her."

The badger strolled approached the bed to prep the lynx for escort. With only the IV fluid stand attached, she left Judy and Nick to move her. After the doctor left the room, the officers stood by the bedside as the lynx shifted her legs off the bed.

"Don't worry," Judy assured. "We can still get you out, but you have to trust us."

"What's your name?" Nick asked.

The lynx looked at the officers before nervously responding. "Valerie. Valerie Lucius."

Nick smiled at the small opening and wasted no time taking advantage of it. "Well Valerie, you're going to be safe. That's a promise."

Seeing their confidence, Valerie calmed down and let Judy and Nick escort her. They followed the badger back to her office while Judy and Nick remained hopeful that the Assassin will bail them out of this dilemma and will do what they can to buy time.

"Thank you for warning me of the killer," The Templar doctor said. "The fear and panic that came over me when hearing the news were enough to convince me."

"We're glad to receive the anonymous tip in time." Judy said.

"Do you know why the killer would target you?" Nick asked.

"Hmm, I don't know. I'm only helping patients I take on or assigned to."

If Judy didn't have knowledge of the badger being a Templar, she would have fallen for her words. But Nick easily saw through the act. Valerie, meanwhile, remained silent and continued walking.

"Are you well known in your field?" Judy asked.

"Why yes!" She exclaimed. "It's why Lionheart hired me to initially treat the savaged predators. Does my reputation play a factor in being targeted?"

"You see," Nick said. "We discovered that the previous victims were high-profile figures in the respective careers. It's only fair to ask and confirm."

"Oh dear, I didn't know that! I'm sure they've done nothing wrong to deserve this."

It took every bit of Judy and Nick to not call her out and arrest her so they quickly changed the subject.

"What's so important about the patient that we must bring her along?" Judy asked.

"I'll tell you since I must explain to the ZPD anyways. In short, I've been working with a scientist in order to develop a cure a major disease, carefully regulated of course. We found that certain blood samples will help create the cure and believe the patient here is a match after testing her blood. That's why we must take her with us. We're so close to a breakthrough!"

In that moment, Nick decided to put the badger in the spotlight after witnessing Valerie's reaction to her. "That's great but I assume your patient here has an irrational fear with your work?"

"I admit to doing some questionable actions in my excitement, but I'm very careful. The patient is invaluable to our research. It took years to find the right match. The last thing I want to do is destroy the results."

Valerie winced at her supposed compliment but refrained from speaking out. Judy and Nick noticed her reaction and silent placed their paws on her in comfort. They needed to separate the two females as soon as possible. The group soon arrived at her office.

"Wait here while I get my research. " The badger entered the room while the others waited outside.

"As soon as we get to our cruiser, Officer Wilde here will sit with the badger while I sit with you to buy us more time." Judy said.

"Just do what you have to do." Valerie said.

Then, Nick's nose picked up a familiar scent. "Carrots,"

Her ears shot up and she looked at Nick. "He's nearby?"

He nodded.

Valerie became confused as she didn't expect another to be with them. "Who is?"

"A friend. Just wait." Judy assured.

The badger finally exited the room with her research. "I have everything I need. Shall we?"

Judy, Nick, and Valerie remained still with wide looks on their faces with Valerie being the most expressive.

The Templar doctor grew irritated at their lack of response. "Why are you all standing staring at me like that?"

"Peek-a-boo."

The voice caused her to turn around in surprise and see the Assassin towering over her. The badger was stunned at the sight, but the Assassin stabbed her with the hidden blade before she could respond any further.

* * *

"How could you do this? How could you stop our progress?" The badger rebuked.

"Your progress involves violating the privacy of the citizens and performing research against a patient's will."

"Yes, and it was all for the good of Zootopia. Can you imagine all the knowledge that will be known? How many terrible things we can prevent? It would have made Zootopia a wonderful place to live."

"But at what cost?"

"We cannot achieve our goals without sacrifice. Some must be made for the betterment of all."

The Assassin shook his head. "Not this way. There are better solutions."

"And you think those solutions will solve all the problems of Zootopia?"

"No, but you can't solve problems without creating new ones."

"Those new problems would pale in comparisons to our current ones. You would have seen it had you not started your campaign. In the end, your actions will be responsible for Zootopia's future calamities. It already has begun." The badger exhaled for the last time.

The Assassin bent down and slowly stained a white feather with her blood.

* * *

He carefully laid the badger down to avoid spilling blood on the floor. The display nearly caused Valerie to scream until she remembered the consequences and quickly put her paws over her mouth.

The Assassin looked up and noticed a fourth with them. "Is that our patient?"

Judy and Nick nodded while Valerie was still trying to calm herself down.

"Then we don't have much time. I disabled the security long enough for us to escape. Take an alternate exit. We don't want to tip off the receptionist. Park on the street in case the alarm goes off so we can escape without problems. I'll catch up to you later."

"Don't take too long." Nick said.

"I'll be quick." The Assassin moved the badger into her office and closed the door.

"Valerie," Judy said. "We're getting your stuff first before we go. Make it quick."

She slowly nodded. "Okay."

They quietly and quickly returned to the white lynx's room.

"Nick, wait outside while I help Valerie get dressed and ready." Judy said.

Nick nodded and closed the door after Judy and Valerie entered the room. While waiting outside, Nick contacted the ZPD about a murder at the hospital.

"Dispatch this is Officer Wilde. We have a 187." Nick gave the hospital's address.

"10-4 Wilde. We're sending all available units immediately."

With that, Nick waited for Valerie and Judy to come out. Moments later, the girls emerged from the room with Valerie in her normal clothes and carrying a bag with her belongings.

"Let's get out of this nightmarish place." The lynx said.

The three hurried to the nearest staircase and were silent as they descended to the first floor. They finally reached their destination and rushed to the nearest non-emergency exit. Throughout their escape, they moved carefully to avoid alerting the medical staff and security. Valerie was forced to hide while Nick and Judy went ahead when they encountered said mammals. Once outside, they ran to their parked cruiser in the parking garage. With the officers in the front seats and Valerie in the back, they carefully drove off the premises and parked in a nearby lot. The three sat back and waited for the Assassin before leaving. The hospital's security alarms sounded, causing them to be concerned about the Assassin.

"Oh no." Valerie said worryingly.

Judy felt the same and grew more concerned with each passing second. "Where are you?"

"He'll be here Carrots." Nick assured.

They soon spot a figure running towards the cruiser and recognized the Assassin.

He finally reached the vehicle and quickly entered the back passenger seats. "Go!"

They drove off and were safe on the road seconds later.


	12. Forced Conscription

**Note: So after two exams in the same week, I finally had the time to write the next chapter. I am currently taking a summer semester in college.**

 **9/6/16: The surname Lynx was just a placeholder until I found a better one.**

* * *

On the return trip to the ZPD, Judy, Nick, Valerie, and the Assassin saw police cruisers speeding by to the hospital, lights flashing and sirens going off, as their cruiser's radio flooded with chatter about the assassination there.

"That was too close!" The Assassin said while breathing heavily.

"Yeah," Nick agreed. "For a moment there, we were worried about leaving you behind."

"I wouldn't mind if you did and then picked me up from a different location. Sorry for being late. That took longer than expected, but I got the doctor's research and erased my presence. I had to take an alternate escape when the alarm sounded. Hopefully, the ZPD can control the aftermath."

"They will," Judy assured. "By the way, that Templar doctor back there? We saw her before when she and Mayor Lionheart were initially arrested for the savaged predators."

"Unbelievable! First the politician and now the doctor? Where were you two when I was investigating these Templars a few years back?"

The three got a chuckle out of that.

"Assassin, say hello to our patient here." Nick introduced. "Her name is Valerie Lucius, and she is a lynx."

Valerie and the Assassin look at each other.

The white lynx's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Wait!" She quickly pulled the Assassin's hood off before he could stop her. Behind the hood was a black-furred lynx with brown eyes, a wide look, and surprisingly similar features. "Riley?!"

"Uh...hi Valerie." Riley smiled weakly. "Long time no see?"

Judy and Nick were completely caught off guard from that. Judy almost swerved off the road from the shock but quickly regained control of the cruiser.

"HOLD ON! You two know each other?!" Judy yelled, wondering if she should be angry at Riley for this.

"Yes," Valerie confirmed. "He's my brother. I haven't seen or heard from him for years."

The revelation of the relation left Judy and Nick speechless.

"Hey, I didn't completely cut myself off!" Riley clarified. "I still write to you and our family."

"But you could have at least called or visited instead of going dark!" Valerie chastised. "You had us all worried. Some even thought you were dead."

"Riley, how come you didn't tell us we were rescuing your sister?" Judy finally demanded.

"I didn't know she would be the patient! Maybe there was a remote possibility from when I last heard of her, but I wasn't certain. Even if I was, I would tell you instead of keeping it a secret. The point is we got her out of there. That's all it matters."

"Yes," Valerie said in a more calm tone before hugging him. "Thank you, Riley. Despite how I feel right now, I missed you."

Riley smiled and returned the gestured. "Me too, Valerie. It's good to see you again."

They separated from the hug.

"How is our family?" He asked.

"They're doing well, but we still think about you. Your sudden disappearance was unexpected."

"I promise to visit them and let them know I'm well."

"Although, I'm not sure how to feel about going from being in the company of a crazy doctor to being in the company of a killer brother," She sat back in the seat with her arms crossed. "This isn't like you to do this, Riley."

"Everything will be explained, Valerie. I promise."

"I just want to know why you went missing all these years. That's all."

"Wow, what were the chances of this happening?" Nick finally spoke, still surprised. "At least we finally know your name and species."

"You two are large for lynxes and your colors aren't normal for the species either." Judy pointed out. "Riley, your fur is black and your sister's is white. I thought lynxes have more of a brown color."

"Our family, in particular, has a unique biology," Riley said. "That growth spurt I mentioned earlier is the reason for our size. As our fur, I'm melanistic and she's albino. When considering the odds of that occurring in the same litter, it supports that reasoning. "

"We received both positive and negative attention from our conditions," Valerie said. "The positives did little to alleviate the pain from the negatives. Sometimes they were too much and isolation eventually became the solution. Fortunately, being solitary is normal for us lynxes."

"Riley mentioned that about himself earlier," Nick said. "Hopps and I couldn't believe what we heard."

"Thankfully, that was years ago and things are improving," Riley said. "But it's why no one must ever know my species or it could bring all that prejudice back. If there is one positive from this, it's that Valerie and I grew closer together."

Riley and Valerie turned to each other and smiled.

"Tell me, officers. How did you come to know my brother?" Valerie asked.

"It was an interesting encounter," Judy said. "During a police chase for him, he rescued us from our deaths, and we established a connection from there."

"I'm surprised that you two were willing to work with a known criminal."

"We were too," Nick said. "But we wanted to know your brother's reason for rescuing us and his motives for the killings."

Valerie looked back at Riley. "So my own brother is the White Feather Killer? Is that what you have been doing the last twenty years?"

A thought suddenly came to Judy when she heard the time passed. "Twenty years? Riley. Isn't that when…"

"Yes, Hopps." He blurted.

"When what?" Valerie asked, suddenly curious at his quick answer.

There was a brief silence in the cruiser. Judy and Nick remained focused on the road while Valerie stared at her brother who was looking out the window.

"Riley, what's this all about?" She repeated in a more serious tone.

"You have to tell her," Nick said. "She came in contact with them."

"Who is them? What's going on here?" She looked back and forth waiting for someone to answer.

Riley sighed and turned his attention back to her. "Valerie, you won't like this, and I don't expect a calm reaction from you." He took a deep breath. "I'm an Assassin, and the mammals who brought you in and the ones I killed are Templars."

Valerie's face grew wide with shock and her arms slipped down to her lap. "No, this can't be."

"I'm sorry Valerie! I had no choice!" He cried. "The Templars drove me to the Assassins! I tried avoiding as much as possible, but they kept coming for me and I had nowhere else to turn to. I know how you feel about this. But this is more than about us, it's about Zootopia." He faced down at his knees with his paws clenched and lying on them. "If you only knew what I saw, then you would understand."

Valerie still had difficulty coming to terms with the news. "I-I don't know what to say."

Her brother shook his head. "You don't need to. As long as you don't run or tell anyone else, you will be safe from the Templars."

The white lynx shook her head in return. "Where are we even going?"

"Right now, we're taking you into protective custody at the ZPD," Judy said. "Riley managed to establish a partnership with them and arranged for that."

"I don't want to go to the ZPD!" She protested. "I just want to go home and not deal with this anymore!"

"Sorry Valerie, not with the Templars after you," Judy said, failing to not disappoint her. "They won't stop until they get what they want from you."

"And we hate to say this, but there's no getting away from the Templars once they find you," Nick said. "Judging by Riley's comments, you should know."

"The only way to stop the Templars is to eliminate them, but that won't be easy," Riley said. "We need your cooperation if you want them gone."

Valerie covered her face with her paws and deep sighed. "This is so unexpected. I need time to think."

"You'll have plenty at the ZPD," Judy said.

"But don't take too long because the Templars are quick to recover," Nick said.

"When you're ready to speak with us, go to the bullpen. The officers will show you once we're there." Riley said as he put the hood back on. "Also, let's not tell the ZPD that the patient is my sister. I don't want them to give her trouble from pressing to reveal my identity. We all know she already had enough of that for one night. And remember, I'm still known as the Sentinel to them."

The others agreed.

* * *

Back at Precinct One, Judy and Nick placed Valerie into protective custody and comforted her while Riley went to the bullpen to piece together the information from the doctor. Judy and Nick left Valerie alone to think about the situation and meet with Riley.

The brother saw the officers enter bullpen. "How is she?"

"Your sister is coming around, but it's still her decision," Judy said.

"She really doesn't have much of a choice. If we let her go, she'll be captured again. Except, it will be more difficult to rescue her a second time. Templars usually don't make the same mistake twice. Usually. Have the other officers reported anything from the other sites?"

Nick shook his head. "Nothing."

"We're safe for now then. I'll give new orders about the investigations later. We need to loosen up on the scouting or it will alert the Templars."

"Makes you glad you came here with everything we accomplished so far." Judy said.

"I did have my doubts, but I'm satisfied with the results. So now that you know my name and species, it's time for a proper introduction. But first," Riley quickly replaced his hood with the top hat to hide his facial features. "The name is Riley Lucius."

"Judy Hopps."

"Nick Wilde."

"A pleasure to know you. Of course, you know my sister Valerie, and I assume you already made the introductions."

"You should have seen her when we first met," Judy said. "I haven't seen a predator so frightened in years. I can't imagine what the doctor did to her."

"This is exactly why the Templars must never know our cooperation. The difference is they need her more than you. I don't want what happened to me and my sister falling on you two or the ZPD. It's not worth throwing your life away."

"Do you regret being an Assassin?" Judy wondered. From what she heard, it seemed Riley was forced into this like Valerie.

Riley sighed. "There are days I wish I can return to life before joining them. Yet I must remember what's at stake. The root of it is this. How can I give up the only life I know?"

"Take it from someone who's been there," Nick said. "All you need is an opportunity."

"Do you could consider this right now an opportunity?" Riley asked.

"It is, and we'll help you and your sister, with or without the ZPD." Judy promised.

The black lynx smiled at Judy's enthusiasm. "That really means a lot to me. Thank you."

Then, the door opened and Valerie calmly entered. She stopped in front of them.

"After much thinking and soul-searching, I've decided to help you."

Riley nodded in approval. "A very wise choice."

"So Riley," Nick said. "Now that we rescued our patient, what do the Templars want with Valerie and all the blood samples?"

"It's more of them wanting her than the blood samples. I didn't say this earlier because of the need-to-know basis. But Valerie's involvement changes things. The Templars have built a machine that can locate the Pieces of Eden but currently lack the reason to use it."

"And the machine is supposed to find them through me," Valerie said, filling in the blanks. "The questions are how and why."

"Two reasons for why. Their locations were built by mammals whose blood was similar to yours. But more importantly is this. To prevent the Templars from gaining the power, the Assassins worked at getting the Pieces of Eden first. In the successful ones, they secured the objects and hid them in different locations. To ensure it is never found again, they established complex measures so that only those with all the pieces can find them. Otherwise, the Pieces of Eden were left alone and their locations are sealed off by the Assassins."

"And you're continuing that ongoing mission." Judy said.

"Precisely, although I'm undecided in whether to hide it or dispose of it. Now for how the machine works. Through your DNA, the Templars can see the actions of the builders or the Assassins. From there, they can locate the Pieces of Eden and anticipate the measures left behind for protection."

Valerie was in disbelief from the revelation. "You know I want to feel good about this. But after what I went through, it feels more like a burden."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Valerie. We'll make sure your special bloodline is used for good instead of being abused."

"If they need her DNA, why not use her blood sample?" Nick asked, confused at why the Templars even needed to keep Valerie in the first place.

"If only were it that easy. The machine needs the body's genome to operate. It's the key. And...there is something I must admit. I have that same machine at my base."

"That...makes me feel uncomfortable. How did you even get it?" Valerie nervously said.

"Before we went dark, the Assassins in Zootopia collaborated with a Depolitio insider to get the schematics. I took the liberty of building, improving, and testing the machine myself to pass the time between investigations."

"Wait," Judy said. "If you two are related, Riley that means your bloodline..."

"Yes, and before you ask, remember this. If the Templars succeeded into putting my sister into the machine, then they would be one step closer to their goal."

"Makes sense." Nick said.

"Can we see the machine?" Judy asked with her interest now peaked.

"Sure, and I'll give its description as well when we're there. I'm also hoping that Valerie is willing to be a test subject."

Valerie sighed. "I really feel uneasy about this, but I rather have you operate than the Templars."

"Great, we'll go tomorrow morning after the briefing so Valerie can be relaxed when she enters the machine. It works better when the user is calm."

* * *

Per procedure, Valerie was taken to a room to give her statement on the recent events. Since Judy and Nick were the officers who brought her in, they conducted the interview. Riley was also present, hoping to get more insight on the Templars' plans for her but remained a bystander during the interview.

"Let's begin by asking why you were at the hospital." Judy said with her notepad and carrot pen out.

"It began with a normal checkup. I was never supposed to be in bed when you found me. I had moved to Savanna Central for a new job I got accepted to. The new position required a health examination and it had been some time since my last one."

"Was that when you met the doctor?" Nick asked.

"Yes, she was responsible for administering the checkup. The doctor had asked for my blood to perform the tests. I assumed it was standard procedure and thought little of it at the time. I was allowed to leave after my blood was taken and waited for the results. "

"What happened next?" Judy asked.

"The results came back normal and I returned for regular checkups over the years as part of the job requirement. But that wasn't out of the ordinary, and neither was having the same doctor performing the examination. Her requests for more blood samples was, however."

"You didn't say anything about it?" Nick curiously asked.

"I had my suspicions, but she assured me that everything was normal. I should have listened to my instincts and reported her actions. Maybe this could have been avoided." She then looked at Riley. "Unless the doctor's fate was inevitable."

Riley remained silent and nodded.

"How did you end up back at the hospital?" Judy asked.

Valerie's paws slowly clenched. "It was so sudden. During the recent checkup, the doctor was frantic. She said the tests revealed something serious and requested that I be immediately admitted, explaining that it could be life-threatening if left untreated."

"Can you describe her treatment? If you can." Nick cautiously said, knowing this is a touchy subject for her.

"The whole procedure was supposed to be brief. The nurses and I thought my health was improving, but the doctor said otherwise. Again, I should have trusted my instincts. My stays at the hospital soon became long. I wanted to go home, but she refused to discharge me; insisting I remain until further notice. Eventually, the doctor stopped giving me explanations and just said to give her my trust." Her voice was interrupted with hiccups and tears formed in her eyes. "I felt trapped. The treatment wasn't even helping me. The doctor was putting me to sleep so she can, from what I can assume, perform whatever she pleased. I realized that when I felt pain and noticed scars and wounds in places that were previously healthy." The others notice Valerie beginning to tremble. "I had to get out of there, but escape was futile. She was always there. Waiting to return me to my bed." The white lynx placed her paws over her face. "I trusted her with my life, and this is what she does to me!"

Valerie broke down crying after finishing that sentence.

Judy and Nick immediately regret asking her that question after seeing the drastic change.

As Valerie broke down from retelling her experience, Riley walked over and comforted her. "I think she said enough. Don't you agree?"

Judy and Nick nodded and they ended the interview, but one question still remained.

"So where can Valerie stay if she can't go home?" Judy asked.

"I wish she can stay at my place, but I'm not prepared to house guests just yet." Riley said.

Valerie composed herself to speak. "I have to stay somewhere! Unless the ZPD can accommodate me."

"My best answer is to stay in a hotel for a few nights while we work to place you in a safe house."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Nick said. "Beats getting kidnapped by the Templars at your home since they know where you live."

The other three stared at Nick.

"What? It's true."

"But I can't afford a hotel!" Valerie said, looking at her brother.

"But I can." Riley gave a clip of money. "This should be enough for a few nights while we arrange a safe house."

Valerie was stunned at the amount. "I'm not even going to ask where you got this."

"We'll tell Chief Bogo tomorrow morning to get this settled quickly." Judy said.

"If not, I'll have a place ready for you at my place." Riley said.

"Boy, this makes me jealous of you Valerie," Nick said. "If being endangered means getting catered to, then sign me up."

Nick received stares again after that comment while he smirked.

"Is he always like this?" Valerie asked, annoyed at his behavior.

"You have no idea." Judy said.

"I actually enjoy his remarks." Riley said.

"See?" Nick exclaimed, happy that one of them understood. "At least Riley knows humor when he hears it."

A smirk then appeared on the black lynx's face. "But you could use some improvement. I've seen Templars do better, and they're the most serious bunch of mammals you'll ever meet."

Nick slumped back into his chair with his arms crossed but kept a stoic expression. _I can't believe that just happened._

Judy and Valerie broke down laughing at Nick being shot down. He learned a valuable lesson that night. Twenty years as a con-artist was nothing compared to twenty years as an Assassin.

* * *

News of the hospital assassination tremendously affected Zootopia. A month had passed since the last public one at Gazelle's concert. Because of their locations and circumstances, the assassinations on a ZPD officer and one of Mr. Big's bodyguards remained secret. But the hospital assassination brought more negative attention because of the target's occupation. As a result, the division present in the aftermath of Gazelle's concert was almost non-existent. Questions arose on whether the Assassin will ever be brought to justice.

In a response to the recent killing, the CEO of Depolitio and Templar Grandmaster, Arlyss Maverick released a statement. "This mammal must not continue the reign of terror on Zootopia any longer. We at Depolitio will spare no expense in capturing this twisted mammal. Do not let those who say otherwise turn you away from the truth. Despite your opinion on the ZPD, we encourage you to seek their support as well. Depolitio can only do so much without assistance and it would be unfair to take all the credit."

Despite the encouraging statement, the ZPD, mainly Precinct One, knew otherwise thanks to Riley's revelation and had less issue with the continued criticism for their "lack of effort". Still, they had to answer to the receptionist's account about Judy and Nick being at the hospital before the assassination occurred and rescuing the patient instead of the doctor. With secret assistance from Riley, Precinct One was able to answer the questions and keep the true reason and their cooperation secret.

However, City Hall was beginning to grow weary from the lack of results and considered getting federal forces involved. But the Tundra Earthquake forced them to hold off on that decision temporarily, buying precious time and bringing much relief to the law enforcement. With the other precincts unaware of the partnership with the Assassin, Precinct One and Riley needed to tread carefully when eliminating the remaining Templars and diverting the attention.

The few supporters for the Assassin would be heavily persecuted were it not for Gazelle, the main supporter. Because of her iconic status and her beliefs, opponents were limited in their criticism especially when it came to the incident at Gazelle's concert. But the same time, Gazelle and those who chose to follow her must be cautious. With little evidence in their favor, their words and actions can be used against them. Despite their support, Riley's actions spoke louder than their words.

* * *

 **Note: Even though I enjoy keeping the Assassin's identity ambiguous, I can't help but feel relieved to finally add the specifics and a name. But that's just me. If you want to tell me any of your guesses or figured out the general direction I was heading in revealing the Assassin's species, send me a PM. Don't want spoilers in the reviews now right?**

 **6/17/16: The interview part was supposed to be there when I first published the chapter. That's what happens when you use Word Document and not pay attention when copying and pasting.**

 **9/6/16: To get an idea of how tall Riley and Valerie are exactly from their growth spurt, their heads go up to a tiger's shoulder. This is my own interpretation of course of lynxes' height in Zootopia which I assume to be the same or just above a fox's height.**


	13. Connecting with the Past

The next day at the morning briefing, Riley issued new orders on investigating possible sites for the seismic temples after Chief Bogo announced the day's assignments.

"Excellent work officers. These investigations would take too much time to do alone without your assistance. You have my thanks," While it will take more than a showing of gratitude to gain more allies in the ZPD, Riley was willing to take it one step at a time. "Now for the updates. To avoid attracting these mammals' attention and to ease the workload, you will have the freedom to choose and investigate the location. Basically, I'm demoting this to the same level as patrols. That's all I have for now."

After the officers were dismissed, Riley caught up with Bogo. "Chief, may I have a moment of your time in your office?"

Wondering what the Sentinel wanted, Bogo nodded. "Yes, but make it quick."

"It won't take long." He assured.

Meanwhile, Judy, Nick, and Valerie were having a discussion in the breakroom.

"No way!" Judy said, still laughing. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am!" Valerie said while also laughing.

"Wow, who would have known!" Nick said as he wiped a tear from his eye.

Just then, Riley entered the conversation and noticed their laughter. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

"No, not at all," Judy said. "We were just talking about you."

"Valerie spoke of some interesting stories about you." Nick said with a wide smirk.

Scowling, Riley pointed his finger at Judy and Nick and moved it back and forth between them. "Don't believe everything she says about me!"

" _Aw,_ you don't trust your sister?" Valerie said in a patronizing tone.

Riley chuckled. "More or less. Anyways, Chief Bogo agreed to place you in a safe house."

Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank you!"

"It helped by having your testimony and being a witness to the assassination. I had to get creative with the reason for your rescue, but I convinced him."

"How long will it take?" His sister asked.

"It could be days at most, but I stressed how fast the Templars respond to any surprises. Ultimately, it depends on how soon they can find a location."

"All I care is that I am safe. I'll start moving my things as soon as possible."

Riley then directed his attention to all three. "Now, are you ready to see the machine?"

"We've been waiting since you first mentioned it!" Judy said excitingly.

* * *

Valerie was impressed with the large layout and design of Riley's base. His explanation only increased her admiration. "Fancied yourself a nice place here Riley."

"Not bad for living under the radar. Give me a moment to bring up the machine." Riley went to the computer and began typing. When he finished, a section of the floor opened up and a different set up appeared. The set up included a lounge chair and a computer set that is hooked up to the chair. "Behold, the Animus: a virtual reality machine that searches for genetic memories of your ancestors through your DNA and allows the user to interact with them. It's really just the equipment, and the chair is for the comfort of the user."

Nick whistled at the sight before them

"Wow, I never knew such technology existed." Judy said in awe.

"The Templars at Depolitio built these for two purposes. One is for test subjects they _recruit,_ preferably specific mammals who will help locate important information such as the Pieces of Eden. Two is for employee training to fight the Assassins. Overall, it's not meant for public use just yet."

"Let me guess. You are exploring an ancestor who was an Assassin." Nick said.

"That's where I get the locations you see on the board. But for all the advancements of the Animus, I still encountered setbacks. First, I explored very little memories before assassinating the reporter. If he didn't almost discover my base, I wouldn't need your help. Second, my health is not in good condition from all the testing performed on myself to improve the Animus before my exploration. It's why I want Valerie to go into the Animus until I recover."

"Will the Animus hurt me?" Valerie asked, still concerned about the possible effects.

"Not anymore... Believe me. You thought the doctor's treatment was bad. Still, you'll have some side effects."

"Such as?" His sister pressed.

"The...Bleeding Effect."

Her eyes went wide and she pressed further. "Which is?"

Riley did his best to lighten the seriousness. "It's when the memories of the ancestor merge with yours that could eventually lead to a mental breakdown as you are unable to differentiate between the two."

Valerie's eyes narrowed. "That _doesn't_ sound encouraging." She said in a slightly angry tone.

"I thought so too, but it only occurs from prolonged use of the Animus," Her brother clarified. "But the Bleeding Effect does have its benefits. I learned a few things from my ancestor that I never thought of doing."

Valerie took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Just sit down and relax. I'll take care of the rest and guide you through." He turned to Judy and Nick. "You two can go. This might take a few hours."

"No way!" Judy objected. "We want to see how the Animus works."

"Besides, Chief Bogo doesn't want the ZPD's eyes off of you and doesn't trust anyone else with this," Nick said before shrugging his shoulders. "We don't mind it at all. This is better than doing patrol or paperwork."

"That's one thing Bogo and I agree on. If you fall asleep, I'll wake you up if we find anything."

Valerie sat down in the Animus as Riley turned on the machine and hooked her to it. "If at any point you feel the need to leave, you can do so from the interface."

"That's a relief."

"Now if you start bleeding from anywhere on your head, let me know."

"What?!" Valerie jerked up from the chair.

Riley put his paws up to calm her down. "Just kidding. A little humor on the Bleeding Effect."

Valerie growled and hit Riley.

"Ow! Duly noted." He said while massaging the afflicted area.

Judy and Nick quietly chuckled as the display reminded them of theirs.

Riley sat down at the terminal while Judy and Nick stood by him to watch the Animus in action. "Here we go. I will first synchronize your DNA with mines for a match on the Assassin. That way we save time from searching the entire helix. It should be quick since we're of the same blood."

On the terminal, Valerie's DNA helix appeared alongside her brother's. The Animus began scanning both strands for a match. The seconds stretched to a minute and continued. All four were silent as the Animus continued scanning. Finally, the process was complete and sections of both helixes were highlighted.

"We have a match!" Riley exclaimed in excitement. "Not sure why that took longer than expected, but I don't care!"

"Whew, it felt like it wasn't going to find anything for a moment there." Judy said.

"How are you doing in there Valerie?" Nick asked.

"I'm doing well. I see myself in third mammal in a large white room and wearing different clothes. Cool, I can control myself too."

"That's normal," Riley said. "With the match, you now appear as and control the Assassin. The white room is the memory corridor. A waiting room while I select the memories to place you in."

"So when do I start?"

"First, I need to give you a tutorial on the basics of the Animus so you can spend more time exploring the memories instead of wondering how to move and interact with the environment."

Riley gave Valerie a tutorial on the controls and interactions inside the Animus. Despite her first time experience, Valerie was able to learn the basics which impressed her brother. Nick and Judy mentally noted the tutorial should Riley allowed them a chance in the machine. The thought of exploring the past and their ancestors excited them.

"That's all there is to it. The Animus will provide more hints if necessary."

"This is actually awesome. I can't wait to start exploring!"

"Before I send you into the memories, there is one more important thing. You must maintain synchronization with the ancestor. By that, you can't do what the ancestor didn't do, such randomly committing mass murder of civilians or go where the ancestor hasn't gone at that point in time. If you desynchronize, you will return to the last point of full synchronization."

"That sounds restrictive."

"Blame the Assassin for the lifestyle. Now another reason for synchronization is because I can't place you where I want without causing you health problems. If I try, your mind will reject the machine and you will suffer heavy trauma. You need to start from the closest point your mind will allow and work your way from there. The more you synchronize, the closer you get."

"It sounds simple enough."

"Any last questions?"

Valerie shook her head. "Nope."

"Okay. From the doctor's information, the Templars suspect the location of the Piece of Eden to be in the Rainforest District. This Assassin was supposedly looking for the same thing from my exploration. Even though the Animus will record the information, I want you to keep a mental note as well just in case. Since you're new, you must start from the beginning since that is the closest I can place you."

Once everything is set, Riley selected the memories and Valerie delved into them. As she explored their ancestor, her brother recorded the information while Judy and Nick observed the entire process. As time passed, Judy was amazed that Valerie could sit there for an extended period of time and remain calm. Just recovering in a hospital bed alone would drive her insane. Whatever the Animus did, it only increased her curiosity should her turn come. Without clearance, Nick and Judy used what little options available to them to pass the time. During the session, Riley looked back to check on Judy and Nick and saw them asleep on the floor while using each other as a pillow. He couldn't help but smile at the sight and sneak in a photo. To his fortune, the phone was silent when the picture was taken.

* * *

A couple hours later, Valerie exited the Animus and felt nauseous moving. Riley assisted her in getting out. Their noise awoke Judy and Nick from their slumber.

"Relax," Riley said. "This happens when using the Animus for the first time. It's only temporary and will go away as you spend more time in there."

"Did you get what you need?" Nick asked as he got up and stretched.

"Not much since I didn't want to risk her health. But the information the Animus recorded is important nonetheless. There is definitely something related to a Piece of Eden in the Rainforest District, but the specifics remain unknown."

"What was it like being in there, Valerie?" Judy asked.

"Surreal. Like I was actually living out my ancestor's life. You just have to be in there to understand, and the history is different from what I studied in school."

"History is written by the victors as the saying goes," Nick said. "Imagine the present if Bellwether was still Mayor."

They all shuddered at the thought.

"I must say your adoption rate to the Animus is impressive," Riley said. "Much quicker than expected and from my experience."

"I will say one thing. Think of all the historical mysteries that can be solved through this."

"Wow! Do you think you'll let us use the Animus, Riley?" Judy asked, excited for the opportunity.

"When there is more time."

The bunny's excitement waned from being stopped, but Riley quickly spoke up before she could plead.

"Because according to the doctor's information, the scientist will mobilize an expedition to the Rainforest District in a few days to recover whatever is there. That doesn't give us much time to prepare and we'll have even less when they discover their patient missing."

"We might encounter them while there." Nick said.

"Yes, and I might have to kill the scientist as well. He was going to die sooner or later."

"If it comes to that, it better be in a remote place." Nick advised.

"So what can we expect at this location?" Judy asked.

"I'll let Valerie explain."

Judy and Nick turned their attention to the white lynx as she began speaking.

"Through memories, I saw the details for the route and the actual structure the Assassin was searching for. Unfortunately, I started to feel nauseous before I could continue further."

Judy and Nick were impressed at the knowledge retained.

"I wish we knew what lies ahead, but at least we know the directions." Judy said.

"Guess we'll find out when we're there," Nick said. "But your brother, Carrots, and I have an idea of what to expect."

"Then it's settled. Judy, Nick, you tell Chief Bogo that we're going to the Rainforest District and bringing the patient with us. We might encounter the Templars so we'll spend the day preparing and leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"So what do we need for this?" Valerie asked.

"Disguises. Judy and Nick already have one, but you need one Valerie to avoid having the Templars recognize you. You'll get them before leaving. We also need weapons. Our current arsenal isn't good enough. Each of us must have one taser and a melee weapon. Valerie, it's your choice if you want a weapon."

"I can handle them."

"Noted." Riley handed his taser to the officers. "Judy, Nick, I'm sure the ZPD keeps fully charged tasers somewhere. Go find yourselves some weapons. I'll provide one for Valerie. Lastly, we need a civilian vehicle. A police cruiser will alert the expedition of our presence."

"Oh don't worry. That will be easily taken care of." Nick said.

"Your tone of voice tells me I should be in for a surprise." Riley speculated.

"Knowing Nick, I'm sure he'll come up with something from his hustler days." Judy said.

This only peaked the black lynx's curiosity. "I won't ask any further. Just meet outside with the vehicle and I'll have the robes."

* * *

Judy and Nick informed Chief Bogo about the investigation in the Rainforest District while Riley and Valerie mapped out the route.

The bunny knocked on the door to the Chief's office.

"Come in."

The two entered and sat on the chair.

Bogo looked up from his work and saw his usual visitors. "Yes, what is it?"

"The Sentinel has a lead on the mammals in the Rainforest District and wants us to investigate with him." Judy said.

"He also wants to bring along the patient we rescued from the hospital," Nick added. "He says she is important for this investigation."

There was a brief pause between the three of them. Judy and Nick hoped that Bogo would grant them permission for both requests.

Bogo sighed heavily. "Very well, you may go and the Sentinel also has permission to conduct future investigations. Only report back if you have a breakthrough. The less I know the better I can answer the media. As for the patient, I expect him to take full responsibility should something happens to her. I swear I thought I was talking to Wilde earlier during our discussion over the patient."

"I concur, Chief," Nick said. "We need to keep an eye on him."

The tone of his voice was not lost on Bogo. He inwardly smiled that someone other than Hopps is able to put Wilde in his place. Bogo made a mentally added that to a list of positives about the Sentinel, even if it is selfish. "Now, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

Judy and Nick shook their heads.

"Then leave my office," He then put his hoof up just when they got up to leave. "Oh, I forgot to say this to the Sentinel when he was in my office earlier. Tell him to inform us of his next assassination so we can prepare for the aftermath. We barely contained the one at the hospital even with his help."

"We will. Thank you, Chief." Judy said.

After the meeting with Bogo, Judy and Nick meet with Riley and Valerie at their cubicles.

"Chief said Valerie can come and gave us permission for this investigation and future ones." Judy said.

"I can't thank you and the ZPD enough for your continued assistance." Riley said.

"He also says to inform him of when you will assassinate a Templar so they can be ready to control the damages." Nick said.

"Yeah, I admit the hospital assassination could have gone cleaner. I'll do my best in the future with the circumstances given."

"See you tomorrow morning then." Judy said.

Riley and Valerie nodded and left Judy and Nick to their work.

" _So Nick_ ," Judy said with her arms crossed. "Which one of your old contacts is going to drive us?"

"Oh Carrots, you make yourself so obvious. You should know by now."

"And what makes you think he'll agree to do this?"

Nick pulled out his phone and opened the contacts list. "Believe it or not. He owes me a favor before you came back to apologize."

"And what if he refuses to pay you back?"

"Don't worry Carrots. I'll convince him one way or another." He said while dialing the number.

Meanwhile, Riley and Valerie were on the way back to the base.

"Are you well enough for another trip to the past?" Riley asked.

"You bet I am. Um, do you think you can take me home afterward? I know the ZPD will protect me, but I want to be with you for the time being."

Riley put his hand on her shoulder. "Sure thing. We can even start moving your things over to my place."

* * *

Early next morning, Riley met Judy, Nick, and Valerie outside the base with their vehicle of choice, a minivan.

"Interesting choice," The black lynx said while focusing on the painting of a canine carrying another with lightning in the background. "Who's the driver?"

"An old friend of Nick's," Judy said. "Come out and introduce yourself!"

A fennec fox exited the van and stood in front of Riley.

" _Sentinel,_ meet an old friend of mine. His name is Finnick." Nick said.

The two mammals of stark contrasting size looked at each other.

Riley then smiled. "Hello, Finnick. It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah yeah, now where's my money? Nick said you would pay me for doing this."

Riley incredulously looked at Nick.

"What? It's the only way I could convince him to do this." Nick reasoned.

If they could see his eyes narrow, it happened. "Remind me why I let you decide on our transportation again?"

"If we use one of the vehicles from the impound lot with you in it, your DNA will be left behind," Judy reasoned. "Ripe for the investigation."

"As for choosing this," Nick said. "Carrots and I think that we should have one less thing to be concerned about during the trip."

Riley then looked to Valerie for her answer.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I thought the same too, but their explanation makes sense."

Riley thought for a second before shrugging his shoulders. "Fair points."

"So are you going to pay me or not?" Finnick repeated.

"I will, but first. Here are your outfits." Riley gave Judy, Nick, and Valerie their Assassin outfits. "Put them on in the van. I don't want to spend too much time here."

"Valerie and I will get the back." Judy said as she and the white lynx walked to the back of the van.

"At least I get the front to myself." Nick said while entering from the front.

"Don't touch anything in the driver's seat! You hear me?!" Finnick warned.

"I won't." He said from the closed door.

The three put on the outfits while Riley and Finnick stood outside.

Riley took out some cash and counted the amount. "You get a third of it now for driving us there, another third for waiting around for us to return, and the last third for driving us back."

"Huh, Nick told me about the way you negotiate. I expected much."

"Is that admiration I hear in your voice?" Riley held out the money.

"Don't push it." Finnick took the money and stored it.

"How much do you know about me?"

"Only what they choose to say."

"Good, I wish to not involve anyone else into this mess. The less you know the better."

"Personally, I could care less about your business."

Judy, Nick, and Valerie come out dressed in the Assassin's outfits.

"Looking good." Riley said.

"Still fits like last time." Judy said while adjusting the outfit.

"I wonder if you can change the colors." Valerie asked as she looked at the appearance.

"You have to be official for that. Now for the weapons."

"Here's a fully charged taser." Nick handed Riley the item.

"Thank you."

"And we already gave one to your sister as well." Judy said.

"Good. Do you have your weapons?"

Judy revealed an open police baton and Nick revealed a large wrench.

"I like your choice of weapons. Nick, I'm surprised to see not see you using a police baton."

"Eh, I never could use that thing properly."

"You should have been there when he first tried to use it during his days at the police academy," Judy said, smiling as she reminisced the memories. "You should ask about it when you have the time."

"Let's...not." Nick said.

Judy used all her strength to close the baton, going as using the ground.

Riley took notice of the action. "If you want Judy, I can modify the baton so it can freely open and close."

"That would be nice. These batons were clearly not meant for me." She handed him her weapon.

"I'll be right back with yours and Valerie's weapons." Riley stepped away.

"I'll be in the van when you're done chatting." Finnick said while entering the driver's seat.

Judy, Nick decided to speak with Valerie on her and her brother's bloodline.

"I know this must be difficult to take in so fast," Judy said. "To go from being a citizen of Zootopia to a descendant of a secret order that is fighting in a secret conflict."

"I always felt there was something special about me. I just never thought it would be this way."

"Well," Nick said. "Sometimes it takes a surprising turn of events to unlock your true potential." He winked at Judy who returned a giggle.

"Would you be willing to tell us about your experience in the Animus?" Judy asked.

"I don't mind, but it depends on Riley. He doesn't want me telling others what I know or else it will attract the wrong attention. I honestly don't blame him."

"Maybe he will let you on our way to the location," Nick said. "I'm definitely interested."

"Same here," Judy said. "He put Nick and me on a need-to-know basis, but I think this situation calls for knowing more."

Riley returned with the items and a backpack. "Here is your modified baton, Judy. It works like a telescope." He demonstrated the easiness of opening and closing the baton before giving it to her.

"Thank you."

"And your weapon Valerie," Riley revealed a cane. "It's sturdy and has a secret." He popped off a section of the cane and revealed a blade. He put the cane together again and gave it to her.

"Impressive, but what do you have?" She asked.

Riley showed his umbrella and also revealed the blade. "Ready to go?"

The others nodded and they entered the back of the van.

"Ready to go, Finnick!" Riley said.

"About time!" He replied while inserting the keys into the ignition.

"I hope we didn't spend too much time with the preparations." Riley worryingly said.

Finnick started up the van and the group departed for the Rainforest District.

* * *

 **Note: I'm going to spend time editing the previous chapters to smooth things out and maybe add a little content. I feel that ignored their quality in an effort put out new chapters, except for maybe this and the previous one. (Huge facepalm for being oblivious to the horizontal line feature for breaks in story. That would have helped for transitions and separating the conversations after the assassinations.)**

 **But that doesn't mean I'll stop writing the next chapter. For some reason, going over previous chapters helps me write the next one.** **Don't worry. Any changes made will be within reason and not alter the current plot.**

 **Nonetheless, I am grateful and enjoy the reviews, favorites, and followers for the story. With another round of exams coming up in the next two weeks, the next chapter's release will be pushed back a bit. Gotta love how summer semester works. Thanks for taking the time to read this.**


	14. Jungle Exploration

**Author's Note: Life decided to rear its ugly head after my exams and throughout July 4th, but thankfully I barely pulled through. It won't get easier from here but I will use any free time that comes up to write this story. I will say this: this chapter was ready to go until I had a different idea for it. Going with my gut, I decided to change from the original to the new one because I thought it felt better for the overall story. Enjoy.**

* * *

In the Rainforest District, Judy and Nick with the help of Valerie convinced Riley to divulge more information since the officers would be entering unknown territory. Riley conceded and he and Valerie revealed their Animus experience. Finnick paid no hand focused on driving but was still intrigued by the information. The van arrived at their destination after taking a few detours caused by damages from the earthquake that had yet to be cleaned up.

"This is our stop." Riley gave Finnick the second payment. "We'll call you when we're finished."

"Yeah." Finnick took the money. "Just make sure your enemies are not around when I come."

"That's a promise."

Finnick drove off after everyone else got out.

"This is as far as my knowledge takes us," Riley said. "I still have a general idea on where to go, but it's better if Valerie guides us."

"I will. Follow me."

Valerie began leading Riley, Judy, and Nick into the rainforest. As they delved deeper into the vegetation, they continued to see no other presence with them and also the damages from the Tundratown earthquake.

Nick whistled at the sight. "The tremors certainly did a number in this district. I wonder if it affected the place in the process."

"That would make our job easier since the earthquake could have removed some of the obstacles we need to get through." Riley said.

"No sign of Templars so far. That's good." Judy said. "Do we have a plan when we do encounter them?"

"I can tell you that question's many outcomes, but they all have one common factor: it will not be an easy escape."

"It's never easy for you is it." Nick remarked.

"Part of the job description."

* * *

They now entered the territory of the Rainforest District that was unfamiliar to Judy and Nick.

Nick found the undisturbed conditions odd. "I find it hard to believe that something like this could remain hidden for years. Someone should have at least stumbled upon this area."

"Except for those who build the place," Riley said. "I'm certain that Assassins and Templars came through here at some point in time. A few factors contribute to the lack of disturbance: environmental change over time and efforts from the Assassins are the main ones."

Hearing this made Judy wonder why the Assassins were so afraid and protective of the artifacts. "I know you told us of your plans for the Pieces of Eden but have you ever considered using them for the Assassin cause?"

"Yes, but I also considered the consequences and they outweigh the benefits. Whatever they give, they take. But that doesn't mean the Assassins never use them. Fight fire with fire as the saying goes, so we use the artifacts against the Templars and to some extent in locating others. We don't fear its powers. We fear the corruption that comes from it. They can easily be abused and the damages are nearly irreversible without one in possession to counter."

"I heard something similar when in the Animus among other things," Valerie said. "Is that what you meant earlier, Riley?"

"It was more of a paws-on experience rather than a simulation, but it works either way."

* * *

The path eventually became less distinguishable that only Valerie could lead them without getting lost.

"It's not much further. We're almost there." She said.

Judy was impressed at her recollection. "Valerie, I'm amazed you could remember all this in short amount time."

"Thank you. But in all honesty, that's not the reason."

This confused the bunny. "What do you mean?"

"My time from the Animus may have shown me the path, but I'm seeing the Assassin as a spectral leading the way. Granted, the paths are different from the ones before the earthquake."

Judy was shocked while Nick and Riley were not surprised.

"What? How?" Judy wondered.

"It's the Bleeding Effect. Isn't it?" Nick answered.

"Yes," Valerie responded. "It started as soon as we got here."

Judy incredulously looked at Nick and then turned her attention to Riley. "Did you know about this?"

"She told me while you two were catching up. But Valerie has nothing to worry about. It's actually one of the benefits she gained from the Animus: eagle vision. Though what Valerie is experiencing rarely happens."

"So it's called eagle vision," Judy said understandably. "Is that the same thing you have?"

"Definitely," He replied. "But don't feel bad. Anyone could potentially have it. It just comes naturally to a few."

"So how does eagle vision work exactly?" Nick wondered.

"You see your relation to mammals and certain objects in colored auras: red for enemies, blue for allies, white for hiding spots, and gold for targets or objects of interests. If Valerie and I use it right now, we would appear blue. You can also see and track hidden objects or trails, which is very useful for investigations. That's just the general description, but there are variations. In my case, I can mark my enemies and see them in normal vision. Valerie's could be different, but that remains to be seen. Still, the only downside is that you can only use it when walking. Running takes you out of it."

"Wow," Nick said in awe as the ability. "Imagine my life if I had eagle vision. You think you can help me learn it?"

"Please don't!" Judy pleaded. "For all that is good in me and the ZPD, please don't."

Nick feigned being shocked. "Carrots, are you saying I'm going to misuse this incredible gift?" He smirked at her.

Judy grunted. "Well if he gets it, then I'm getting it as well just in case."

"Carrots, I promise I will only use it for good."

"Oh I know, but I'll be watching." She warned.

Riley sighed. "And I immediately regret ever mentioning it."

Valerie chuckled. "You should have seen that one coming."

* * *

Valerie finally led them to a cave and stopped at the entrance. They stopped to observe the entrance for anything of interests.

"It looks like the earthquake destroyed whatever sealed this cave." Judy said.

"Makes me wonder if the place is still intact." Nick speculated.

"This is where I stopped in the Animus," Valerie said. "My vision of the Assassin also stops here too."

"We'll have to pick up the trail ourselves then," Riley said. "Follow me."

They followed the path into the cave to a large hole. They looked down and saw water at the bottom. Riley looked at the others.

Nick knew what he was thinking. "Oh no, don't tell us we can survive this jump."

Riley went to the cave wall. "Only one way to find out." He cut a rock from the cave with the hidden blade and stood at the edge of the hole with it. Riley dropped the rock and it made a large splash when hitting the water before disappearing from view. "Looks and sounds deep enough."

The others show their hesitation.

"I'll go first then."

"Be our guest." Nick said.

Judy and Valerie glared daggers at Nick.

Nick put his paws up. "What? That wasn't a joke."

"This is my brother you know. He could _die_." Valerie hissed.

"Riley, how do even you know it's safe?" Judy asked worryingly.

"I don't. Sometimes it just takes a leap of faith."

Riley spread his arms out and dove into the water below. The others saw him disappear below the surface and became worried before he immediately surfaced a few seconds later. "Water's deep enough. You can come down."

Judy, Nick, and Valerie breathed a sigh of relief and leaped down the hole into the water. They swam to the water's edge and climbed out. The group walked a short distance before entering a room in ruin and filled with more water.

"Now what?" Judy asked.

Riley pointed to a large hole in the wall across from them. "We can cross the ruins to get there."

The officers and Valerie watched Riley create the path for them and followed after he made it to the other side. After scaling the ruins, the four entered a large room with a large statue of an animal at one end. The area they were in was littered with skeletons.

Judy was shocked at the sight. "Sweet cheese and crackers, what happened here?!"

"Well Carrots," Nick replied. "By the looks of it, I say we're not the first ones here." He picked up one of the weapons and inspected it. "Judging by the weapons, these fellows must have been here hundreds of years ago."

Judy's eyes widened when she noticed the attire on the skeletons were similar to theirs. "Riley, are they Assassins?"

He shook his head. "No. Assassins are allowed to personalize their robes to their desires so we aren't easily identified. These are all the same so they must have been part of a cult. I don't see the Templar insignia on any of them either."

Judy breathed a sigh of relief but had another thought. "I guess that means whatever was here is gone now."

"I'm not so sure about that." Riley said.

"What do you mean?"

Valerie answered this one. "It just means a fight broke out here. We haven't even explored the entire room yet. For example," She pointed to a slab of rock that had fallen from above just below the statue. "The Assassin might have climbed to that statue."

Riley was impressed. "Very observant Valerie."

Valerie returned a smile.

"I'll check it out and let you know if I find anything." Riley went to the slab and used it to jump up and grab the ledge. He disappeared for a few seconds after climbing over. "Hey come up here!"

The others came to Riley, using the rock to assist their climb. They stood by him and saw another skeleton wearing the same attire on the floor.

"Another one?" Judy asked.

"Must have been the Assassin's target from the way the skeleton is laid out," Valerie said. "I know this from my time in the Animus."

"Is this all you wanted to show us?" Nick asked.

"No," Riley stood by the statue with his paw placed on an engraving. "This is." He pressed the engraving and a pathway opened up.

Judy and Nick stood with their mouths open.

Judy was surprised. "How did you…"

"Eagle vision." Valerie answered.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Of course, but seriously you should consider giving Carrots and I that."

"Still thinking about that," Riley said. "Come on."

They entered the path before it closed up again, hiding the secret entrance.

* * *

The group entered a large room and saw lights being reflected around the room that led to the other end. Curious, they followed the light to where it shined on a mechanism above the door to the next room.

"If there was any doubt if the Assassin got this far, then this should be proof." Riley said.

"Judging by all the switches here," Judy said. "This must have been a puzzle to advance to the next room. Pretty elaborate for the builders."

"It has to if they were keeping something hidden," Nick replied. "And I doubt this is the only one."

"You're right," Valerie said. "With any luck, the Assassin has already cleared the rest of the path for us."

"Only one way to find out." Riley said.

* * *

The next room was being lit by fire and they heard the wind blowing from above. The group looked up to see contraptions above them that were meant for opening the door. They concluded that strong wind was necessary for the puzzle. As with the previous one, it was already solved and the door to the next room was open.

"The Assassin came through here as well," Nick said. "Are you sure whatever is in here hasn't already been taken?"

"Remember," Riley said. "There is the possibility the Assassin left whatever is in here alone. If the Templars are targeting this place, it means it's still here."

All of a sudden, the room shook as a booming noise sounded.

"What was that? Another earthquake?" Judy panicked.

"No, that was an explosion." Valerie said.

They soon realized the situation.

"That means the Templars are already here," Riley said. "We have to reach the end before they do!"

"If keep blowing their way through at this rate, we won't make it." Nick said.

They hurried to the next room as explosions kept going off but at an alarming rate.

Nick couldn't help but comment on their actions. "These Templars sure don't care if they bring down the entire place."

"Not as long as they get what they want." Riley said.

"Is the destruction of everything in their path really necessary for their goals?" Judy annoyingly asked.

"They didn't have a problem ruining our lives." Valerie said.

* * *

The group entered the room that was illuminated by a heat source on the ground. Fortunately for them, the exit was already open.

"Hurry!" Riley yelled. "Hopefully this is the last room!"

They ran for the exit and found themselves in a blue-lit room with a set of stairs leading up to a single pedestal.

"Do you think it's another one of those earthquake temples?" Judy asked.

Riley approached the pedestal. "Only one way to find out."

"Be careful Riley." Valerie cautioned.

He nodded and moved his paw above the pedestal. It began to glow and a light illuminated above them. A beam of light connected with the pedestal. Soon, the entire room lit up and a projection appeared before them. Numbers and letters appeared around them.

Riley recited them. "35 06 60 N 36 34 32 E"

"At least it's nothing dangerous." Nick assured.

"But what's all this supposed to mean?" Judy asked.

"We'll find out as soon as we're out of here. Let me copy this down." As soon as Riley took his hand off the pedestal, the projection disappeared. "I guess it needs to constantly activated." He turned to his sister. "Valerie, do you think you can bring back the projection so I can copy the numbers and letters? It should work for you if it worked for me."

"Sure." Valerie stepped forward and placed her paw above the pedestal. The projections came on once again.

"Good, this should only take a few moments." The black lynx took out his notes and copied the information on a blank page. "Got it."

Valerie took her paw off the pedestal and projection disappeared.

"Now let's get out of here before the Templars catch us." Riley held out radio ear pieces. "In case, we encounter them and get separated."

* * *

They hurried out of the room, only for them to hear and see an explosion. "Hide now!" Riley ordered. They quickly hid behind the pillars and carefully peeked out from their location. A group of well-armed Templar forces entered the room.

"Boss wants us to secure this place before he arrives! If you see anyone else, especially anyone wearing hoods, don't hesitate. And don't cause any more damage to the structure! Boss also doesn't want any other factors already destroying this place. You have your orders!"

The Templar forces began patrolling the area while Riley, Valerie, Judy, and Nick hid behind the pillars. They were careful with their movements and to not give off their scent. By their count, eight mammals were in the room with them: a bear, a wolf, a leopard, a fox, a ram, a rhino, a bull, and a bunny. Judy felt extremely angry at her species working with the Templars but remained silent, but Nick was more sympathetic, understanding the lengths foxes go through to survive. They would have the opportunity to deal with them soon.

"Just great!" Nick quietly exclaimed. "They have firearms and we only have melee weapons. We are literally bringing a knife to a gun fight!"

"Where do the Templars find these guys?" Judy asked.

"They have deep pockets and lots of connections." Riley replied.

"What do we do Riley?" Valerie asked.

"We're not getting very far with them around. We need to take them out first before even thinking of escaping."

"The light from the heat source isn't exactly giving us the option of stealth." Nick said.

"Nick's right. They'll know something is wrong immediately." Judy said.

"How about this." Riley peeked out to assess the situation. "I got smoke bombs to use as cover. The problem is their radius is small. But if I can set them off near the heat source, it should enlarge it. That should give us enough time to move in and take them out. Judy, Nick, focus on the medium and small. Valerie and I will focus on the large."

" _Okay_ ," Nick said hesitantly. "But we don't have anything to protect us from the smoke."

"Remember our alley encounter? You saw me cover my mouth before I threw smoke bombs. Your outfits have the same protection. Just pull it up from the front collar."

Judy, Nick, and Valerie looked at their front collars and saw the flap of clothing Riley mentioned. They pulled the flap over their mouth and nose.

Riley covered his own as well and took out his smoke bombs. "Remember where your targets are. Are you ready?"

"Ready." The others said.

The black lynx carefully threw smoke bombs at the heat source near their positions. When they exploded, the smoke clouds were immediately enhanced by the heat source. This surprised the Templar forces and they began coughing. While disoriented, the four moved in for the offense. Because Judy and Nick could not see through the smoke, Riley and Valerie alerted them to their positions to avoid accidentally hurting each other. They each focused on two mammals until the numbers evened out.

Judy went straight for the bunny while the mammal's hearing was temporarily useless. She struggled to locate the mammal among the smoke and nearly got killed from the other mammals. The bunny's back came within her view and Judy rushed to her target. With the police baton extended, Judy swiped at the feet and the bunny fell on its back. While down, she finished the job with a strong hit to the head, incapacitating the Templar bunny. Nick set his sights on the canines to remove their sense of smell, first targeting the wolf. Fortunately for him, the lupine was close so Nick didn't need to move far. With the wrench and taser out, the fox smacked the legs causing the wolf to cry out in pain and bring it down to Nick's height. Nick then jammed the taser into the wolf's neck and watched the predator convulse to the ground before going limp. Using eagle vision, Valerie charged for the leopard to take advantage of the element of surprise. The sixth allowed her to see through the smoke and avoid the others and their own attacks. Once close, Valerie pounced at the leopard and tackled the feline to the ground. She quickly pulled out the cane sword and beat the leopard a few times. The lynx stopped and checked for a pulse. After confirming the leopard to be alive, she nodded and moved on to her next target.

With the taser out and sat to max voltage, Riley set out for the bull, using eagle vision to locate his target. Taking into account the armor and size, the black lynx knew the umbrella would be useless. He also needed to attack from behind or the bull would catch him. Riley saw the bull in view and was about to attack when he saw the horns pointing in his direction. The black lynx quickly moved to the side and avoided being seen. Now approaching from the back, Riley seized the opportunity and jabbed the taser into the bull several times on the neck and back. Soon, the bull fell to the ground unconscious. Moving on to his next target: the bear, Riley brought his umbrella out and went after the predator. The black lynx would need to use all his strength to bring the more formidable foe. While the bear was distracted from the chaos going around, the predator felt a sharp pain in his legs and back that forced the mammal to its knees. While the bear was down, Riley went for the blow and repeatedly tased the exposed areas of fur. With one final jab in the neck, the large bear finally went limp on the ground.

Valerie pursued the ram next since it was the next mammal she saw in eagle vision. She carefully maneuvered through the smoke until the lynx was behind the ram. Valerie quickly placed the cane over the ram's neck and pushed the prey against her. The ram struggled against the hold and to breath while Valerie maintained control. The ram went limp within seconds and Valerie released the prey and watched it fall to the ground unconscious. Nick decided he would be the one to take down the fox and no one else. Not wanting the others to cause too much pain for his own kind. The small size made it easier for Nick to locate the vulpine in the smoke. It ached him when he finally spotted the fox frantically searching for him and the others. Wanting to end this quick, Nick swiped at the fox's feet, bringing the small predator down on its belly. Nick was grateful that he didn't have to see the fox's face when he tased him. He struck once and looked away until the fox went limp and unconscious. With the smoke almost dissipating and seeing the rhino in her vision, Judy targeting the large prey despite the risks. She felt one of the pillars while backing up and got an idea. Judy took a couple of steps away from the pillar and glanced at the rhino's position one last time. After making the calculations, the bunny dashed towards the pillar and halfway, jumped into the air with her feet facing the pillar. Judy collided with the pillar and launched off the structure in the direction of the rhino. In the air, she twisted around to where her feet would be the first to make contact. The rhino never saw the incoming bunny attack and felt a strong pair of feet hit the large prey's face. The force was enough to incapacitate the rhino. When the smoke cleared, the four stood over unconscious mammals.

Riley breathed a sigh of relief. "That went well."

Nick breathed heavily from the rush. "You know. If there was any more reason to give us eagle vision, this would be it."

Judy also breathed heavily. "I hate to admit it, but he's right. If you're going to use that tactic, we all need to benefit from it."

Riley finally conceded to their point. "Alright, alright, that's reasonable. Next time you're free, stop by so we can work it out."

"So what's the escape plan?" Valerie asked. "It won't be long before they notice the radio silence."

"Since the Templars were nice enough to provide us an escape, the only thing now is to leave the area and call Finnick."

"Let's not forget the hundreds of Templars forces out there waiting for us." Nick reminded. "Even if we could sneak by, the rest of us aren't exactly on your skill level."

"That's why I'm giving you these." Riley knelt down with his backpack in front and took out parts from it. He assembled the parts into rifles and saw concerned looks on their faces. "Relax. You'll be using sleep darts."

Judy was still confused. "Why didn't you just ask us to bring tranquilizers with us?"

"Like with the van, if the Templars can trace the ZPD darts back to the source and discover our alliance will be discovered if seen attached to their forces." He finished assembling the rifles. "These, though, are untraceable because they are crafted from scratch."

Nick still had some concerns. "Uh, are you sure the sounds from the rifles won't reveal our positions?"

"Nope, the _air_ rifles use compressed air to fire projectiles but must be reloaded after each shot. They work like tranquilizers but are more silent. Let me show you." Riley demonstrated with a dummy dart and the rifle made little noise. "See, quiet as a mouse. Sorry, couldn't resist saying that."

They each took an air rifle and loaded them with a pack of sleeping darts.

"Do the darts' effects work like tranquilizer too?" Valerie asked.

"On a lesser scale. The effects last up to a minute at most. We have to do the rest ourselves."

"That's reassuring." Nick said.

"Hey these things aren't cheap you know. Even though I do have money lying around."

"Can we please move before they find out what happened?" Judy interjected.

"Right." Riley stood up with a rifle in paw and ready to fire. "Follow me."

They exited through the tunnel made from the explosions. Near the end, they caught a glimpse of Templar forces guarding the entrance. Riley motioned the others to stop and looked at Valerie. He pointed at his eyes and then at the exit. Valerie understood and looked at the entrance with Riley. They both used eagle vision to scout the entrance.

"How many are there?" Judy asked.

"Only two, but they are barely out range from our position," Riley said as he slung his rifle and prepared to run. "I'm going to distract them so you can get a clear shot. Judy, Nick, wait for Valerie to give you the signal to shoot."

Nick and Judy raised their rifles and Valerie raised her paw up.

"We're ready." Valerie said.

Riley took off running, and just as he expected, the guards at the exit turned their attention to him. They only moved a couple steps before falling unconscious. Riley heard his pursuers stop and turned around to see them on the ground with darts in their backs and the others exiting the tunnels.

He approached the sleeping mammals and took out his taser and umbrella. "I got this." He tased one unconscious and beat the other with the umbrella.

The others regrouped with him.

"They have excellent marksmanship and reaction time." Valerie said.

"We have experience with our small tranquilizers and moving targets." Nick said.

"It's not the same as the ZPD's, but it's good nonetheless." Judy said.

"Glad you like them," Riley said. "Now that the Templars have found the location, it will be easier to make our way back to the insertion point. Stay low when I tell you."

* * *

The group followed the Templar trail back to their insertion point. The Templar presence increased as they progressed to the point that the combined Assassin training of Riley and Valerie and police training of Nick and Judy were only enough for stealth instead of open combat. They arrived at the edge of the main base camp and saw a large number of Templar forces in the area from their hiding.

"Uh uh," Nick exclaimed while shaking his head. "There is no way we are getting through all that undetected. Some of those mammals down there have a heightened sense of smell and hearing."

Riley agreed. "No kidding. It will be easier to sneak through with fewer numbers. We can put those aforementioned mammals to sleep with air rifles and finish them off."

"That takes care of them," Judy said. "Now the question is can we draw them out without using one of us as bait."

"Hey, they're coming!" Valerie warned. "Get down!"

They immediately laid on the ground still and controlled their breathing. A large number of Templar forces passed by, unaware of the group hiding under their noses. Riley was thankful he gave the others darker color outfits than the normal white Assassin robes or they would have been discovered almost immediately. Judy picked up the group leader's words approaching.

"The guards at the cave have reported a sighting of Assassins. Until we confirm their reports, be ready to attack at all times! Move out!"

The last of the Templars forces passed by, but it was only after Judy confirmed with her hearing and Nick with his smell that they were out of range.

"All right then," Riley said with surprise. "That takes care of the other problem."

Nick pulled out his cell phone. "When do you want me to call Finnick?"

"Before we move. You two escort Valerie to the insertion point and wait for me there. I need to eliminate the scientist first."

Valerie became angry and confused. "Why? We have everything we need from here. I know he's a target, but do you have to do it now?"

"He has your information. The Templars won't leave this place and will constantly pursue you as long as it's in their possession. Stealing the information and assassinating the scientist will significantly slow their progress. Even with an agent inside the government, a few strings will still have to be pulled to get your records."

"He has a point, Valerie," Judy said. "If what Riley said about the Templars' resources is true, then not even the ZPD can protect you."

Riley offered a compromise. "If it helps, you can leave without me. I don't mind escaping alone."

"No!" Judy objected. "We're not leaving you behind."

"I'm going to have to agree with Carrots here," Nick said. "If they end up following us on the road, we need your help to fight them off."

Riley sighed. "Fine, but I'm not leaving here without a white feather stained with the scientist's blood."

Valerie sighed and gave in. "Just be careful out there."

Riley nodded and turned to Nick. "Make the call."

Nick dialed his friend. "Finnick."

* * *

In the main tent, the beaver scientist was analyzing the site and communicating with the mammals sent to investigate.

The radio then came to life, "Sir,"

The Templar beaver replied back, "Report in."

"The first group has been found and are alive. They can confirm there are multiple Assassins in the area."

The beaver grunted in frustration but held out hope. "And the site? Did you find anything?"

"Negative. The site appears to be empty."

The Templar finally grew angry. "Keep searching until you know 100% that it is!"

"Yes sir!"

The beaver put the radio down and heavily sighed. He wanted to assume the worse, but it could be measures left behind to protect whatever was hidden in the Rainforest District. The encounter with the Assassins was only making the worst case scenario appear likely. His train of thought was interrupted when someone entered the tent.

"Sir, you need to see this. It's important."

The scientist put down his work and faced the mammal. "Very well." To his surprise and amusement, he saw two familiar mammals before him when exiting the tent. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde had their arms restrained to prevent any retaliation and appeared slightly beaten from the struggle to capture them. But their identities remained hidden thanks to the hoods over their faces. The beaver smiled as he approached them. "Ah, so you escaped. Impressive." He quickly noticed an oddity. "Where is your friend? I saw three of you the last time."

Judy and Nick remained silent to avoid having their voices reveal their identities. Judy was glad Nick chose not to mouth off despite it being a notorious habit of his.

"No matter, your capture will draw him out. He won't leave you behind because the both of us want something the other wants."

They remained silent but knew there was truth in that statement. They could only hope that the lynx siblings would arrive in time to free them.

"Tell me where the patient is. I know you didn't come here just to sight see."

Judy did not say a word, and Nick was trying his best not to make a remark after hearing that.

"I see. The silent treatment. If you want to make this more difficult, then I can find ways to encourage your friend to come out of hiding. How about I start by removing those hoods to see who you are?"

Judy and Nick remained silent but under their hoods, their eyes widened when they heard that. Now his death was unavoidable if Riley was nearby to hear that.

"I know what happened to the doctor and you'll pay for your actions." He said menacingly. "I was very close to her, but I admit she got carried away in her excitement. That is no way to treat someone important to us. Still, she was one of us and for that, justice must be served for her death. Even if your friend fails to show, I still can avenge my colleagues on you two."

This time Judy and Nick glared at the beaver, daring him to exact his revenge.

"I'm surprised you were able to kidnap the patient from her police escorts. That is unless you two wouldn't happen to be the escorts."

Their outward expression remained stoic, but they were frightened on the inside at him coming close.

"Relax, I won't harm the patient because of her importance but you two…I think the news would love to see how the Assassin is corrupting citizens into working for him. That would turn Zootopia against you. Wouldn't it? Especially after your identities are revealed."

Nick's sense of smell and Judy's hearing immediately picked up two familiar presences and smiled with confidence. Seconds later, smoke exploded in the immediate areas. Their captors suddenly released them and others fell to the ground. Confusion reigned as the remaining Templar forces attempted to fight back and investigate the cause. Judy and Nick saw Valerie joined them from above and together, they defeated the Templar forces around them. In the midst of the action, the Templar scientists witness the quick loss of control and made a retreat for the tent to call for reinforcements. While the beaver dashed for the tent, Riley descended from above and landed on the scientist, stabbing him with the hidden blade.

* * *

"Be careful what you wish for." Riley said.

The beaver scoffed at him. "You cannot stop us from securing the Piece of Eden. We know about this place as much as you do and will keep coming for it."

"You can do so to your heart's desire, but the Assassins will be there to keep them away from you. And that Piece of Eden your are searching is not even here."

The beaver laughed. "Did you actually think that would have stopped us? It is such a waste to lock away something that would have brought peace and order to all of Zootopia. Don't you think?"

"Because it would have been abused, even if the Templars do say they have no intention of doing so. Did you not think for a moment that one or more of you could possibly betray your Order and use the Piece of Eden for their own gain?"

"We would have dealt the betrayer swiftly just as your Order does."

"Even if your intentions are noble, Zootopia would still fail to live up to its motto."

"A loss we are willing to take if it means having our new world." The scientist exhaled for the last time.

"No wonder he and the doctor were close." Riley stained a white feather with the scientist's blood.

* * *

By the time Riley put the feather away and the smoke cleared, Judy, Nick, and Valerie finished off their captors and saw Riley standing over the dead scientist.

"Must you always make such an entrance?" Nick asked, wondering if the spectacle was necessary.

"Hide in plain sight remember." Riley reminded. "Anyways what happened? I'm on my way to assassinate the scientist when I hear a call for help on the radio. Next thing I know Valerie comes to me saying you've been captured."

"Finnick happened." Judy replied.

"What?" Riley said in disbelief.

"Finnick called while we were sneaking." Valerie said.

"Apparently, this _dumb fox_ forgot to silence his phone." Judy hissed.

Nick fired back. "Oh sure Carrots, as if you weren't guilty of that."

Judy's eyes narrowed and scowled back at Nick.

Riley interjected. "Look as much as you want to argue about what happened and believe me I feel the same way, we need to be gone before the rest of them return. I'm going to recover the information. Nick, call Finnick to ask what he wants. Valerie, Judy, stand guard and let us know if they're coming."

The black lynx dragged the beaver back into the tent while Nick took out his phone to dial Finnick. Just as he was about to do so, Finnick called.

"Well speak of the devil." Nick answered the call and walked a short distance away. "Finnick, you better have a good reason for calling back there." He trailed off before Judy and Valerie could pick up on the rest of the conversation.

"I'm curious Judy," Valerie said, trying to strike up a conversation. "Are you and Nick a thing?"

Judy was caught off guard by that question but quickly composed herself. "No, we're just good friends and police partners. That's all. Why do you ask?"

"It's the way you two talk and behave around each other from what I noticed. I didn't know if it was serious and waited until it was just us girls to ask. I tried earlier when we were changing in the van but I think Nick would have overheard us from the front."

Judy understood her reasoning. "We get that a lot, especially from our fellow officers. I'm certain there's a betting pool on us on when we become official."

Valerie chuckled. "Will you give them the satisfaction?"

Judy shrugged her shoulders. "Not that I have a choice. I hope it's one sided, but I assume it's evenly split. Or maybe it's the other way around. I don't usually pay attention to what goes on when it comes to other officers' business."

"Wow, sure glad I didn't have to go through that. When my brother and I used to hang out, folks thought we were a couple and perfect for each other. That is until we told them we were related. If you can only see and hear the surprise and disappointment."

Judy giggled. "At least you got them off your back. Nick and I have little options."

Valerie and Judy both laughed at their experiences.

Riley returned to them moments later to see the scene unfold. "I can tell you two had fun. I got your information and everything else I need."

Nick returned at the same time, having finished talking to Finnick. "I got some bad news."

"Humor me." Riley said.

"Finnick can't get to us."

"What?!" Judy and Valerie yelled.

"What happened?" Riley asked.

"The entire area we came from is blocked off. He said there is construction going on." Nick said.

"Typical of the Templars to cover up their operations. Can he meet us down the road?" Riley said.

"That's what he told me."

"It will have to do. Let him know we're on our way and to tell us his location. Make sure he sends a text this time." Riley reloaded his air rifle. "Check your ammo. We're going to need them."

They all replenished the sleep darts before leaving the premises. By the time the Templar forces discovered what happened from lack of communication with the Templar beaver, they were gone and the sun was setting.

* * *

During the escape, the rain became heavy as part of the scheduled downpour for that district and only slightly lightened when they finally arrived at their insertion point. Just as Finnick mentioned, many vehicles and Templar forces occupied the area along with construction equipment to give the false appearance.

"Any word from Finnick?" Riley asked.

Nick checked his phone. "He's at the bottom of the hill."

"Alright, we don't have much time before the mammals here are alerted to the assassination. Keep your rifles out and your senses up."

Using the rain, the incoming darkness, and the various objects as cover, the group carefully sneaked to Finnick's location. As a precaution, they shot sleep darts at mammals with a strong sense of smell or hearing but did not finish them off. Through teamwork, they made it out of the restricted area. But even with the rain lessening and the light dimming, they could still be easily seen and heard if they ran downhill so the four chose to move cautiously on the sides until reaching the bottom. On the way down, an alert finally went out about their actions, but the group was already out of range. At the bottom of the hill, they see Finnick's van parked a short distance away. Riley held his paw up, motioning them to wait. He looked back up the hill to make sure they will not be detected. Riley then gave the signal and they ran for the van. Sitting in the driver's seat, Finnick saw four figures approaching and quickly grabbed his bat, anticipating them to be enemies because the rain made it difficult to see clearly.

He relented once he saw that it was them. "Took you long enough!"

The four went to the back and quickly entered the van.

"Get us out of here!" Riley yelled.

"Don't need to tell me twice."

Finnick started the van and they quickly drove away from the premises and back to the ZPD.

* * *

 **Author's Note: The section where the characters explore the cave and ruins was inspired by the Da Vinci Disappearance in Brotherhood if it felt familiar to you. Also, if anyone can figure out the numbers and letters, you'll enjoy the easter egg. ;)**

 **As far updating the previous chapters, I'm still working on it. They'll all be updated at the same time I publish a new chapter to avoid confusion. When that occurs, only time will tell. As said before, it won't be every chapter.**


	15. Warning

**I won't give any excuses. This should have been up earlier, but I will say this. The plan is to have the next chapter up next weekend unless something comes up. Now that summer semester is over. I have more free time before fall semester begins. Enjoy!**

* * *

Tensions ran high in Finnick's van after the group had escaped from the Templars. Neither Riley nor Finnick was pleased with the other's actions during the escape.

"I thought you promised not to bring your enemies when I arrive!" Finnick yelled in frustration.

"And I did," Riley affirmed. "We don't seem to be followed at the moment."

Finnick growled at the technicality. "You're lucky the road is wet right now or else I'd smack you with my bat."

"You're lucky I don't reduce your pay for almost getting us caught back there!" Riley fired back. "Ever heard of text messages?"

"Well how was I supposed to know you were sneaking around? And if you even think about cutting me out on a deal, then I can turn this van around and turn you over to your enemies!"

"Good luck with that. Because by the time you do, I'll commandeering this van while you feel your life slowly ebb away from a deep puncture! And I have good cause for that!" He revealed the hidden blade.

"Try me!" Finnick challenged.

Valerie quickly grabbed her brother's arm. "RILEY!"

"Riley, NO!" Judy yelled.

"Easy there you two," Nick said, trying to defuse the situation. "Clearly, we're all tense from the ordeal so let's calm down before we do anything we regret."

Riley retracted the blade and calmed down. Finnick relaxed too. The van remained silent for a few minutes before Finnick spoke up again.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes and no." Riley said.

Finnick became agitated again, growling as a result. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"We went there expecting to find an object, but instead we got a clue."

"A clue to what?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Yeah, you do that." Finnick returned his focus on driving.

"So any idea on what the numbers and letters mean?" Judy asked.

"It could be a code or an address. I'll look into it once we get back."

"Can Nick and I take a photo? For backup and if the ZPD can help."

"Sure." Riley opened to the page for them.

Judy and Nick each took a photo of the numbers and letters before Riley pocketed the notebook. The return trip then became silent for a bit after the near violence. Judy and Nick knew the outburst was normal for Finnick. Valerie, to some extent, knew when the two introduced him to her. But the three were focused on Riley, who sat silently with his arms crossed taking deep breaths.

Judy finally found the courage to speak up but had trouble coming up with the words. "That was…I didn't think…I've never seen you get so angry before Riley."

Nick spoke up as well. "Carrots is right. You rarely show any emotion from our encounters. I think the closest we ever saw was from that night at the ZPD and when you saved us."

Even Valerie expressed concern for her brother. "I have to admit Riley. When I first saw you again, I felt something different about you. Does being an Assassin has to do with it?"

Riley sighed deeply and finally removed the hood but kept facing the floor of the van. "Yes, I'm sorry you had to witness that. I couldn't risk you three being captured and harmed. My behavior is not from being forced but rather from being taught and learned in the field." He finally looked up at them. "I may appear stern and emotionless, but it doesn't mean I am. Underneath this outward expression is a caring spirit that would rather save lives than taking them. " He directed his attention to Judy and Nick. "You two have firsthand experience of that."

They only nodded in response, acknowledging his statement. When Judy and Nick heard Riley's reason, it struck a chord with them especially Nick. It reminded him of himself whenever he puts on a facade to avoid letting others read him as a result of the traumatic incident with the Junior Ranger Scouts. Nick wasn't the one to ask questions regularly unless his occupation or the situation required it, but curiosity got the better of him this time.

"So why do you do it?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Riley answered. "Two reasons. First is from dealing with the consequences from the assassinations. Taking a life in never easy, and the first step is actually the hardest. The feeling you have of being able to determine another's fate has only two outcomes: thrilling empowerment or immense guilt. As an Assassin, having those feelings in the moment only leads to disaster." He lowered his head and sighed. "But not even that alleviates the pain. Believe me. I've been doing this for twenty years and it never gets any easier. I just learn how to put it all away."

There was no response. Only thoughts going around in their minds. Valerie could only imagine the pain her brother was forced to endure all the way into his adulthood. For Judy and Nick, it was a rare sight to see. In most of their encounters with professional murderers, few who choose to take lives willingly and not under threat openly express any regret. Yet in front of them was someone who is not only that but also giving them an insight of what possibly goes on in the mind of a killer.

"Before I give the second reason," Riley continued. "Let me ask you something. Do you remember the one thing I stressed when explaining the powers of the Pieces of Eden?"

Judy and Nick thought for a moment while Riley and Valerie sat in silence and waited.

Judy then remembered. "Mind control!"

"Yes," Riley confirmed. "Because if the Templars gain that power, achieving their goals will be significantly easier. With it, they could command armies, suppress uprisings, and control the populace. Without it, they resort to those methods I listed in Mr. Big's estate. The alternate methods are either meant to replicate the powers of the Pieces of Eden or prepare them for the new Zootopia, and eventually the world. In relation to your question Nick, it is part of the second reason.

"In their quest for their new world, the Templars _do not_ tolerate and will eliminate any opposition. What makes them so dangerous in these present times is how they destroy their enemies and gain power. Subtlety is the key difference. In the past with murderers being more difficult to get caught, Templars just outright kill you. They still do today but on a minuscule scale. A fate even I admit would rather have should I be captured. Only the dastardly would dare take it a step further.

"Now, if the Order has _even_ the remote interest in you, they keep you alive until you wish were dead. But death is only a last resort of absolute necessity unless you're an Assassin or your usefulness comes to an end." Riley shook his head. "Oh how I pity them. The Templars don't realize that in their quest to achieve their new world, they have become the very thing they wish to avoid. Ironic how the Order is quick to expose the Assassins for the behavior yet claim innocence for themselves."

He chuckled and shook his head. "There's my compassionate spirit showing again, but I digress. So what do the Templars do you wonder? It depends on your usefulness. Just with me staying my blade from Bellwether, they are not one to waste the opportunity to increase their assets, especially converting Assassins to Templars when the situation presents itself. I rather not describe their actions in detail, but I will say this. You will be pushed to the breaking point.

"The goal is to tear you down or make you doubt yourself if they are in a good mood. They essentially wait for that moment like predators waiting for their prey. When it happens, the Templars will come in and build you up as one of their own. Not the most conventional way to gain power, but one with a huge payoff in the end. That is why I put up this wall. Your mind is your greatest asset when fighting the Templars so you must protect it at all cost because they will seek it for their own. Let me quote a response I heard in the Animus from a Templar Grandmaster when questioned about the change in methods.

"A body enslaved inspires the mind to revolt. But enslave one's mind and the body will follow on naturally. Efficiently." [1]

"This quote exemplifies a long-standing truth: the body does what the mind tells it. It's why you resist when forcibly bound, how support is gained, and fear is instilled. Take the Night Howlers for example. How did Bellwether turn prey against the predators? How did the flowers cause the predators to go savage?" Riley tapped his head with a finger. "It's all up in here. Bellwether sowed the seeds of fear into the minds of prey and it took root from there. The flowers inhibited the sentience in the brains of predators and reverted their instincts. It all starts from the top."

The explanation sent chills down the back of the rest of the passengers. Even Finnick, despite his usual behavior, felt the same chill but remained focus on driving.

"Now, listen and understand. Valerie, I say this because your involvement became absolute once the Templars found you." He then looked at Judy and Nick. "As for you two, I know there is no way to convince you otherwise after everything you've seen so it's only fair you hear this as well. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT show any sign of weakness should you be captured. Because the moment you slip, they will latch on and suck it for all its worth, maybe expose more weaknesses. If it happens, they will waste no time taking advantage of it. You did very well back there, but I doubt it will be the last time. If this sounds frightening to you, then it should. In short, never let them see that they get to you."

And there it was; someone using Nick's mantra albeit for different reasons. But that didn't matter. To Valerie, she didn't understand the significance to Judy and Nick and thought of it as only a warning to her now that she had no choice but to go along. To Judy, a wave of empathy swelled inside her that made her want to inquire about Riley's past that led to him adopting the mantra. Not only that, she wanted to help him after the revelation. In a way, Riley reminded her of Nick with different circumstances but the same effects.

To Nick, it gave more insight on reading Riley. Yet at the same time, he couldn't help but sympathize. Nick knew Riley wasn't a fox and didn't have to deal with the stereotypes the world gave himself. Heck, he doubts Riley ever got muzzled because his appearance could intimidate those who dared to try. But it didn't exclude him from any negativity that results from the said appearance. It's a sad reminder that such perception will hardly ever go away as long as there are areas for it to flourish. Whatever doubts Nick had about Riley had all but disappeared after the confession and revelation.

"Well that's enough ominous talking for now," Riley's voice returning to his normal tone. "Besides, bad memories are reminiscing from discussing that."

"Listen, Riley," Judy said, wanting to assure him. "I know you just finished that conversation, but we want to let you know that we're here for you if you need someone to talk to."

"Thank you. I appreciate that." He turned his attention to his sister. "So Valerie, were you able to find a place to stay until you can be placed in a safe house?"

Valerie shook her head. "I didn't want to leave after the interview, fearing for my own safety so I slept at the Precinct that night. The Chief didn't mind and made my stay comfortable."

"My place is still up for offer if you need it. Your belongings are still there after we moved them out of your apartment, and I have made the living adjustments."

"Keep it ready just in case. I won't take everything with me for the new place. Besides if I'm going to be in the Animus, I might as well have a few things to do while on break." Valerie reached into her pockets and took out a roll of money. "I'm thinking about remaining at the ZPD until everything is set. There would be no point in wasting time booking a hotel room or renting an apartment for only a few days. Do you want this back?"

Riley waved his paw. "It's yours. After everything you went through so far, you deserve it. Consider it as part of my apology for disappearing on you and the rest of the family."

"I already accept your apology, Riley. You don't need to give me things to make up for it." Valerie pocketed the money despite her words. "Still, you are right about my situation. I was low on money from all my hospital visits so thanks."

* * *

The entire trip to the Rainforest lasted nearly the day as they arrived back in Downtown late afternoon. The first stop made was near Riley's base. After returning their robes and air rifles, Riley exited the van through the back and walked to the driver's seat.

"Here's the last payment and a little bonus." He said while giving the money.

Finnick accepted the payment but was confused about the bonus. "Normally I wouldn't question about getting more than what's agreed on, but why the extra?"

"It's part of my apology for putting you through all that trouble. Believe me. The last thing I wanted was for you to get involved. And I assume you're not one where words can simply fix everything."

Finnick shook his head. "Look. Just because I do things for money, it doesn't mean I don't care. If someone close to me is in trouble and I hear about, you can expect me to be there to back them up."

Riley simply nodded. "I understand."

"Besides, I would have done the same thing if someone threatened me and my buddies. Had that happen a few times."

Riley extended his paw out. "Glad to have known you Finnick. See you around?"

Finnick hesitated for a second but eventually took his paw and they shook. "See you around, Riley. Nice blade by the way." He then released his paw.

"Thanks. Guess you know my name now from that incident."

"Don't worry. No one else will know about it," Finnick paused before continuing. "You know that's some real messed up business you and your sister are in. I feel sorry for the both of you. I don't know why Nick and Judy would get involved, but it's not my place to judge."

"As long as no one is involved, we can pull through this."

"But," Finnick's tone grew more serious and borderline threatening. "You better take good care of them. That goes for your sister as well. If hear that anything bad happened to them because of you, you better watch out the next time I see you."

Riley smirked. "Don't worry. I will."

He walked to the back doors to the minivan to say goodbye to the others. "See you around. I'll let you know if I find anything."

They waved back at him. "Bye Riley."

He closed the doors and returned to his base while Finnick drove them to Precinct One. They arrived at the building and the rest of the passengers exited the van. Judy and Valerie went inside while Nick spoke to Finnick before leaving.

"Hey buddy, thanks for doing this." Nick said.

"Hmph, so we're even right? I don't owe any more favors to you?"

"Nope, not at all." Nick noticed his friend was more upset than usual. "Come on Fin, Riley kept his end of the deal and even made up for it."

Finnick sighed deeply. "I know but it's not that. It's…"

Nick knew where he was getting at. "You don't trust him. Do you?"

"Let me put it this way. As an ex-business partner, watch yours and Judy's back. It seems he has ulterior motives. As a friend, I just want to make sure you and Judy don't get killed doing this. Some of the things he said actually frightened me."

"Finnick, I know Riley doesn't exactly present himself as friendly and trustworthy, but believe me when I say this. He really is looking out for us. Riley lives by a code where he doesn't harm innocents and in his eyes, we're innocent."

Finnick pondered his friend's words. "Just be careful Nick. I don't want to lose you. Ciao." He started his van and drove off. Nick entered the Precinct to see Valerie walking to upstairs, assuming she is going to Chief Bogo's office.

* * *

Judy and Valerie held a conversation as they walked to the front entrance while Nick remained behind with his friend.

"Are you sure you don't want to live with Riley?" Judy asked. "It might be safer because of the secrecy."

"If I'm honest, I feel the same. But Riley already set it up with Chief Bogo and he agreed to do this. I feel bad about telling him otherwise."

"I'm sure Chief will understand if you explain it to him. It would definitely put less of a burden on our resources."

"I guess." But Valerie remained conflicted until having another thought. "If he's in right now, I'll go talk to him. Otherwise, I'll do it tomorrow morning."

"That's the spirit, Valerie!"

At the doors, Valerie opened the doors for Judy who thanked her before entering herself.

"So what are you going to do about your job Valerie?" Judy asked. "The Templars know your information thanks to your blood sample, and it won't be long until they recover the information your brother stole."

"Truth be told, Judy. I lost my job as a result of my constant visits to the hospital. My sick days and personal days were all used up long before you three came, and my wallet is really thin right now from the medical bills. I was just about to be evicted from my apartment before Riley and I moved my stuff to his place."

Judy's ears drooped when she heard all the hardships the white lynx was forced to endure. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Valerie waved her paw. "It's all right. I've got you two and Riley supporting me for the time being. I should have a new job when this is over."

Judy suddenly had an idea about work for Valerie. "Well if you're looking for work, you can always join the ZPD. You handled yourself pretty well back there in the Rainforest District. Did you have some experience beforehand or was it from the Animus?"

"A little from both. When I was young, I knew Riley couldn't always be there to protect me. I later found out that he trained in self-defense very well and asked him to teach me so he doesn't have to worry about me being alone. You would have seen me in action at the hospital had I not been traumatized and under medication. Do you think I would make a great cop?"

"I don't see why not? Plus, it would be great if your brother joined as well."

"You'll have to speak with him on that. As for myself, I will consider it after defeating the Templars since it will take months to meet the requirements for the Academy if I decide to join now."

Judy bounced with excitement at the near certainty. "Yes! Thank you! I hope Riley will agree." Judy's happy face quickly turned sad. "It feels like your brother is trapped in his current life from what he told me and Nick. By defeating the Templars in Zootopia, I feel he would finally be able to move on. That's why I want to help him."

"Believe me, Judy. There is nothing I like more than my brother to return to his old life. Anyways, I got a police chief to speak to. See you later."

Valerie went ahead to the receptionist desk and asked Clawhauser if Bogo was still in his office. A few moments later, she proceeded up the stairs to Bogo's office.

"Where's Valerie going?"

The sudden voice of Nick surprised Judy, causing her to scream and jump. She turned and faced Nick with a glare before socking him in the shoulder. "Nick! You know I hate it when you do that!"

Nick rubbed the assaulted shoulder. "Sorry about that, but you know I can't resist."

Judy huffed but quickly calmed. "Valerie decided to talk to Bogo about moving in with Riley instead."

"About time. She's less likely to be captured in there. Not even Mr. Big's place is safe with them targeting the estate."

"Yeah."

Nick heard the depressing tone in her voice and noticed her condition. "Something on your mind, Carrots?"

Judy shook her head and started walking forward. "It's nothing. We need to report our findings to Bogo." But her voice and body betrayed her.

"Judy…"

She stopped when she heard her real name. Judy knew what it meant and that it would be close to impossible to convince Nick otherwise. Her current emotional state made it difficult to even try. "Can we at least walk to Bogo's office? I don't feel comfortable talking about it out here in the lobby."

Nick made no objection. "Sure."

The two began walking and held a brief conversation with Clawhauser before moving on. Once past the receptionist desk and near the stairs, Judy opened her mouth to speak when Nick beat her to it.

"It's about Valerie and Riley. Isn't it? You care for them."

Judy quickly looked at Nick, surprised he knew about the topic. "How did you know?"

Nick smirk in response. "You've always been too easy to read, Carrots."

She sighed deeply. "When Valerie told me about her living conditions, it broke my heart. She doesn't deserve this, yet a group of mammals decided their ideals are more important than one's life. We already know part of Riley's history." Judy paws clenched into fists. "It makes me so angry! They probably did the same thing to Riley. Maybe that's why he joined the Assassins."

Sensing the rising anger, Nick placed his paws on her shoulders. "We don't know that for sure about him, but you aren't entirely wrong."

She relaxed slightly at his touch. "I really want to help those two out. They had everything taken away from them by the Templars and judging from Riley's comment after Valerie's rescue, it seems they destroyed their family as well." Judy had a sudden realization. "What if that happens to us?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What I just said." The dreaded feeling began to overtake her. "There's no telling what could happen to us if the Templars find out that we're working with the Assassins." The possible losses caused her eyes to water and she began to sniffle. "I don't want to give up fighting, but I can't stand the thought of losing this job, my family and friends, but most importantly you!" The tears were in full effect as Judy hugged Nick and sobbed into his chest.

Nick remained silent and let her cry, simply stroking down her ears and back in an effort to calm her down. He wanted to remark about bunnies being emotional but decided against it in the current inappropriate situation. The two witnessed firsthand what Judy said moments ago and he couldn't deny them. As long as they were involved, the dangers were ever present. While he didn't have as much to lose as Judy, the thought of losing her ached him as well. But Nick realized the bigger picture. "I'm terrified too, Judy. More than you realize."

She softened her crying and looked up at him. "You do?"

"Yes, but we have to look at the bigger picture. If we let the Templars succeed, Zootopia will be the one suffering instead of just us. I'm sure those two know that and are willing to pay the price."

She sniffled and calmed down. " You're right. Riley understood the dangers he put himself in and Valerie is coming around to that understanding as well. If they both are willing to take the risks to see it through to the end, then we should too. Like a certain fox always say, never let them see that they get to you, and we're not going to show them that separating us is a weakness."

"That's my Carrots. Now come on, I bet the Chief will love to hear what went on at the Rainforest District."

They released each other from the hug.

"I have a feeling he won't be happy about the assassination that took place." Judy said.

"We don't have to mention that do we?"

"It's going to be in the reports anyway along with the others, and they're going to break the new to the public eventually."

"Ugh!" The thought of the reports was making Nick reconsider. "We'll be spending months doing paperwork for this! Riley owes us big time."

"Well, we don't have to include everything."

"Carrots," Nick said as he furrowed his brow and smirked. "Are you suggesting we withhold information?"

Judy shrugged her arms. "That's not for me decide. I'm willing to put in everything, but a certain mammal determines how much we can say."

Nick then remembered and smiled. "Sly bunny."

* * *

Just outside Bogo's office, Judy and Nick saw Valerie come out and their eyes met each other. Valerie then gave them a thumbs up.

"I take it went well." Nick said.

"Yep, Bogo agreed against his better judgment according to him. But my reasoning was enough. He's also letting me stay here one more night to finish up any business I started during my temporary stay."

"That's great, Valerie!" Judy said in excitement. "I knew you could convince him!"

"Thank you. You two heading in?" She gestured to the Chief's door.

Nick nodded. "Mhm, it's our orders if we discovered anything important and those numbers and letters we found are definitely important."

"Hopefully Riley figures it out soon. Are you doing anything else after meeting with the Chief?"

"Just some police reports from everything so far," Judy said. "Figured we get a head start on them while this is going on."

"We also plan to order some Chinese since we haven't eaten all day since breakfast. You want something?" Nick offered.

"That'd be nice. I'll let you know what I want after the meeting and even pay for the meal." She revealed the roll of bills. "After all, I did just get a huge raise."

Nick's ears perked up and his tail wagged in excitement. "Great! At least the work will be more tolerable."

Valerie went on her way as Judy and Nick knocked on Chief Bogo's door.

"Come in."

The two entered his office and sat down together in the large chair. All three stared at each other in silence before Bogo finally broke.

"Well, I assume you found something of interest from your investigation. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here right now."

"If you permit me Chief," Judy said while taking out her phone. Bogo nodded and she proceeded. "We discovered a hidden structure that led to an ancient ruin." She tapped the screen a few times. "At the end, we discovered a large room with a single pedestal." Judy put her phone down on the table and slid it to Bogo. "This is what we saw when activated."

Bogo took Judy's phone and looked at the picture she brought up. They were the numbers and letters copied down from Riley's notebook. "What's this supposed to mean?"

"We don't know sir, but those mammals were there on our way out so it must be important," Nick said. "Ri…the Sentinel said he was working on figuring it out and would let us know about the findings. He would like if the ZPD assisted." Nick mentally slapped himself for almost saying Riley's name to Bogo.

Bogo paused for a moment and looked at the picture again. "Good, I'm glad he is seeing the benefit of both sides working together." He slid the phone back to Judy. "Send me a copy immediately."

"On it sir." Judy took the phone and sent the picture.

"Anything else you have to report? Did you have any trouble with those mammals?"

Judy and Nick were hesitant to reveal the assassination but if the Templars broke the news then it could spell even more disaster for the ZPD. They glanced at each other and understood.

Judy took a deep breath before speaking. "The Sentinel performed an assassination."

"WHAT?!" The voice of Chief Bogo thundered throughout the Precinct. No proper words could describe his anger and the feeling Judy and Nick had from witnessing it. He immediately lowered his voice volume but the emotion remained. "I thought I made myself clear that if any assassination were to occur that I'd be notified! Didn't I order you two to tell him?!"

"Yes, we did sir."

"Then care to explain the disregard for my order?"

Judy was about to speak when thankfully for her, Nick beat her to it.

"You see, sir. The Sentinel did agree to inform you, but circumstances changed that. We said those mammals were there on our way out. We failed, not on purpose anyways, to mention that Officer Hopps and I were captured during the escape."

Bogo's eyes widened when he heard that but kept his stern expression. "Go on."

"The Sentinel was smart enough to disguise our appearance. All we had to do was keep our mouth shut and hope they didn't check the disguises. But the target threatened to reveal our identities and nearly did had the Sentinel and Valerie not intervened. In the end, it was either the target dies or the ZPD's cooperation be exposed. To put your mind more at ease, only the target died. Everyone else was spared. Furthermore, I doubt we have to worry about the aftermath anytime soon. Their actions for being there were questionable and borders on the lines of legality. They blocked off a road under the guise of construction to which I seriously doubt they had the permits for. Also, the area we were in happens to be a nature reserve and they were using explosions which also makes it illegal. So unless they want to deal with the backlash, I doubt they will come forward with this."

There was a long pause as Bogo let Nick's words sink in. Judy waited anxiously for his response while Nick sat with his usual facade up. She was once again surprised and impressed at how Nick could almost flawlessly talk his way of a corner. Almost.

Finally, Bogo let out a deep sigh. "I can't argue with that so I will let it slide this time, against my better judgment. But I'm taking precautions to avoid any more surprises. Anytime the Sentinel organizes an investigation, he is to report to me on all the details beforehand. That way if one the targets happen to be there and there is no other choice, we can properly handle the aftermath. We may have gotten lucky this time, but there are no guarantees with the others on his list."

"Understood Chief and thank you." Judy said.

"Good. Now get out."

Judy and Nick promptly got off the chair and exited the room.

"That went as expected." Nick said.

"Be happy it did. We just need to tell Riley about the change in procedure."

"We'll tell him tomorrow because right now I've got a large meal waiting for me."

Judy rolled her eyes. "You and your stomach." Just then, her stomach groaned. The unexpected noise caused Judy to blush as she covered her stomach with her paws.

Nick could only laugh in response. "Looks like someone else agrees!"

Judy scowled at her stomach. "Let's just get Valerie's order and go before my stomach betrays me even further."

"You think we can get more money out of her?"

Judy immediately stepped in front of Nick with her arms at her hips, glaring at him. "Nicholas Wilde! You will not hustle Valerie of all her money!"

Nick quickly put his paws up. "Just kidding."

* * *

"I can't believe you bought a hundred dollars worth of Chinese food! This much in one sitting is not healthy for you!"

Judy and Nick were walking to the front entrance of the Precinct, each carrying a box that was loaded with food. Nick somehow convinced Judy to drive to the restaurant instead of ordering delivery. Judy knew he was only postponing the paperwork. It was night by the time they returned with their orders because Nick spent a lot of time deciding on his order with the money available to them to spend, much to Judy's annoyance. It took even more time for their orders to arrive. They called Riley ahead if he wanted anything and ended up ordering shrimp lo mein with no veggies and vegetable fried rice for him.

"I didn't eat anything all day Carrots. I'm surprised how I got through the entire trip without fainting from hunger. Coffee and Clawhauser's donuts can only provide so much energy. Besides, Valerie said to go all out when she gave us the money to spend and I did. We even left the restaurant a nice tip."

"Still, how are we even going to finish all this?!"

"It's called leftovers sweetheart, and you're one to talk. You ordered double portions for both meals. I thought you had a figure to keep."

Judy scowled at him. "I'd punch you right now if my arms weren't already full and we hadn't used someone else's money."

"Besides, not everything in here belongs to us so that's less we have to worry about."

As Judy and Nick entered the Precinct with their meals, they saw four mammals at the receptionist desk: a horse, a porcupine, a moose, and a camel. They heard the conversation while passing by.

"Is the Chief of Precinct in right now?" The horse spoke. "We need to speak to him."

"Sure!" Clawhauser said. "Let me buzz you in."

Nick's hustler instincts immediately went off when seeing those four prey. "Carrots, I'm getting bad vibes about those mammals there."

"Or it could just be your stomach." Judy drawled, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm serious. I think it might be them."

Judy's annoyance was replaced with alarm. "Are you sure?" She whispered.

"You heard them. They needed to speak with the Chief. I want to know why they're here."

Judy thought as they walked. Nick could be right and they'd be putting Valerie in danger. In truth, she was just as curious as him. "Okay, we'll check after dropping off the food."

They went to their cubicles where Valerie was and set the boxes down on their desks.

"Time to eat! I'm starving!" Valerie said as she searched for her order.

"We'll be right back." Judy said.

"Don't' take too long or your food will get cold."

"We won't." Nick said.

The two hurried over to Chief Bogo's office and slowed down when nearing the room. They stopped just outside the door and eavesdropped on the conversation. Inside the room, the four mammals stood in front of Bogo's desk as the Chief studied them, wondering why they wanted to meet with him near the end of his shift.

"We heard that Valerie Lucius is here. Is it true?" The camel said.

 _At least some good is happening_. Bogo thought. "Yes, she's in custody of the ZPD at the moment. Who are you?"

"We represent her family and heard about her being present during the hospital murder." The moose said.

"I see," Bogo drawled. "Well, the ZPD is glad to have brought her here for safety. She has been receiving counseling from our own specialist."

"We are grateful for your actions," The porcupine said. "We wish for Valerie to be returned to us and be protected from further harm. We will make sure she has ample protection."

Bogo suspected something off about the visitors. He also somehow picked up Hopps and Wilde's presence near his office but refrained from exposing them. Having those two nearby in this manner could only mean these visitors are not who they say they are. Without any proof, he did the only thing possible. "Unfortunately before I can release Valerie over to you immediately, you must first prove your relations with her. Sorry, it's the process."

Judy and Nick became alarmed with the mammals' intentions and hurried to Valerie. She was eating when they rushed up to her out of breath.

Valerie saw their conditions and became concerned. "What's wrong?"

"The Templars," Nick said while gasping for air. "They're here for you. We have to get you out of here now!"

Valerie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped with food still in her mouth. "What?"

"They're in Bogo's office right now trying to get custody of you," Judy said. "Luckily, the Chief caught on and is giving us some time."

Valerie quickly swallowed, put her food down, and stood up. "I need to sneak me to Riley's place now! I don't care how you do it! Just get me out of here!"

"Hold on," Nick said. "We'll think of something."

Back in Bogo's office, he was almost done processing the papers and verifying the documents presented before him. The mammals remained silent during the process. "Very well. Nothing seems false about these documents. We'll bring her out shortly." Bogo pressed the button on his intercom. "Clawhauser, tell the officers in charge to bring Valerie out to the lobby. There are mammals here waiting for her."

Clawhauser responded a few seconds later. "Sure thing Chief."

"They will bring Valerie to you in the lobby."

"Thank you for your time and effort Chief." The horse said.

The Templars exited the room and waited down in the lobby. Once they left the room, Bogo took a deep breath. "I hope Hopps and Wilde did what they could."

The four mammals waited in the lobby until they saw a fox and rabbit officer approaching with Valerie.

"She's all yours." The fox said.

"We kept her safe during her time here and is well enough." The bunny assured.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Valerie is very important to us." The moose said. "Come along now Valerie. Your family has missed you."

Judy and Nick handed over Valerie to the Templars and watch them departed the Precinct.

* * *

Valerie sat in the back seat in between the horse and the moose while the camel drove and the porcupine sat in the front passenger seat. No one spoke while they drove to their destination. Valerie found it interesting that the Templars would send four prey to retrieve her. Then again, she did spend an extended amount of time in the presence of a predator so the lynx assumed they didn't want to scare her off again. Pushing those thoughts aside, Valerie began formulating an escape plan and prepared for the opportunities. Taking her brother's advice, she remained expressionless to avoid giving off any weakness.

All of a sudden, the front tires exploded, forcing the vehicle to stop. A small smile formed on Valerie's face as the horse ordered the driver to investigate. The camel stepped out to check on the tires and discovered spike near the flat tires. Before the camel could report trap, the humped mammal suddenly fell on the ground. The remaining Templars panicked and armed themselves for an attack. The porcupine cautiously exited the vehicle to investigate. While doing so, the spiked mammal quickly fell to the ground.

The horse and the moose quickly held Valerie by her arms and locked their doors as they prepared for another attack. Then, the sound of the car unlocking was heard and seconds later, the back seat doors opened. Before the remaining Templars could respond, they felt a large voltage of electricity surge through their bodies until they released Valerie and blacked out. Unfortunately, the white lynx was connected to the two and suffered a partial electrocution.

Two small, hooded mammals then pulled them out of the vehicle allowing Valerie to escape. The small mammals quickly removed the spikes and the darts from the camel and porcupine. They quickly hit the two prey with a baton and a wrench to extend their sleep and carefully moved the bodies out of sight. Noticing Valerie's slow response, the hooded mammals carefully moved Valerie a couple of blocks away into an alley and took a moment to rest once there. Valerie sat down to recover from the indirect voltage intake.

"Thank you for getting me out of there," Valerie said. "I didn't know if I could restrain myself for a moment longer."

"We're glad we made it in time," Judy said. "It wasn't easy timing the car to stop at that location let alone anticipate their movements."

"Good thing they didn't notice that tracking device we put on you or we would have never found you." Nick said.

"Sorry about accidentally tasing you," Judy said. "No hard feelings?"

Valerie shook her head. "None at all. How long before Riley shows up?"

"Give it a few seconds." Nick said.

A sewer cover opened up and Riley appeared from the hole. "This way."

The three went down the hole and Riley covered it up. The others followed him inside to the safety of the base.

"Glad to see you made it. I was getting worried that they might have gotten away." Riley said.

"It pays to have experience in stealth and ZPD tranquilizers," Nick said as he showed off the weapon. "Don't worry. We removed them so no one will know where it came from."

"Good to know. Dang, I severely underestimated how quick they recover." Riley chastising himself.

"Don't blame yourself, Riley. You didn't know." Judy reassured.

"Next time, I won't take any chances." Riley turned his attention to Valerie. "You should be safe here until this is over. I've done everything possible to accommodate you."

"I can't thank you enough for letting me stay, even though I could be a burden."

Riley put his paw up to stop her. "You're not a burden. You know how much I care about you. When Judy and Nick informed me of the situation, I immediately got to work. Besides, it's nice to finally have some company here while I work and train. It can get real lonely down when I'm not planning or sleeping."

"We'll let you take it from here. We need to return the spike strips and cruiser before anyone notices them missing." Judy said.

"Thanks for the meals by the way." Riley said.

"Our treat and be sure to thank the Chief too," Nick said. "He caught on to their plan and helped us buy time."

"I'll do that. See you around."

Judy and Nick returned the robes and took the sewer tunnel back outside and bid the siblings goodbye. Once in the alley, they walked to their cruiser parked nearby.

"Now that Valerie is safe, we can get back to the feast." Nick eagerly said.

"And the reports." Judy reminded.

Nick immediately frowned. "Way to kill the mood Carrots."

Judy laughed at Nick's unhappiness as they entered the cruiser and returned to the Precinct.

Meanwhile, Riley and Valerie sat at a table and ate their meals. Neither talked until initially satisfied with their hunger.

After swallowing another bite, Valerie finally spoke. "Riley, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" He said as he put more lo mein in his mouth.

"Can you…train me to be an Assassin?"

Riley stopped with a single noodle hanging out of his mouth, surprised to hear that. He quickly slurped the noodle and swallowed before speaking. "W-why?"

Valerie began playing with her food."You see. If the Templars attack me again and no one is around to help, I want to be able to defend myself properly. The training I received from the Animus and you years ago are good, but I want to do more. There's only so much you, Judy, and Nick can do, and I don't want to feel helpless in this fight. I understand that's not what you think, but it's how I feel when I see the three of you in action."

Riley was still in shock over her question but managed to respond. "I understand your reason, but is it really worth enduring the consequences? You saw what happened to me."

Valerie stared at her brother with a serious face. "Listen. In the last few days, my entire life has been turned upside down. I have no home to go to. I have no job to earn income. I can't even tell my friends or anyone else I know of my situation unless I want to put them in danger as well. With that, I have nothing else to lose by making this decision."

"What about your life?"

Valerie then looked him in the eyes. "I'm no fool Riley, but I can't waste the only thing I have left. I want to make something of it instead." She went back to playing with her food. "My point is that I finally realized why you joined the Assassins in the first place. To ease your worries, you don't even have to fully train me."

Riley sighed. "Even with accelerated training from the Animus, it won't be easy. Especially when the time comes where you have to take a life."

"I'm willing to do what's necessary to stop the Templars. They've caused enough damage to us."

Riley only nodded, knowing she couldn't be convinced otherwise. "Very well, we begin tomorrow."

Valerie had the look of relief on her face. "Thank you."

* * *

 **[1]** **Laureano de Torres, Templar Grandmaster from Black Flag**

 **I'm trying to make the effort in writing longer chapters. Hope you don't mind.**


	16. A Gift from the Ancestors

Judy waited impatiently for Nick at the receptionist desk the next morning, her arms at the hips and foot thumping rapidly on the floor. "Where is Nick? He better not be sick with a tummy ache!"

Ben finished his doughnut before responding. "Honestly with the amount of food you two ordered last night, I would be surprised if he didn't get one. Even I know when to stop…sometimes."

It was almost time for roll call and Nick was running late...again. Last night, he spent more time eating than actually working. The sound of him scarfing down his meal didn't help Judy with her work either. At least by the end of their shift, Nick had the decency to clean up after himself and got some work done.

Judy finally saw him entering the building and not to her surprise, he was eating out of a carton with disposable chopsticks. Just as he said, they both ended up having leftovers. She really wanted to scold him but smirked instead. "What's wrong? Couldn't decide what to eat?"

Nick huffed as he stopped in front of her and Ben. "I'll have you know Carrots that it is a delicate process. Some of these have short life spans so it is important to know which ones I can save for later." He proceeded to empty the rest of the carton like a drink, earning an eye roll from Judy.

"Whatever. Let's just get to roll call before we're late. I don't want to get parking duty on top of what we're already doing."

"You got me there," Nick said as he tossed the chopsticks and empty carton into the bin near the receptionist desk. "See you around, Ben!"

"Later you two!"

Judy and Nick entered the bullpen and sat down in their chair, quietly discussing Riley's next move and Valerie's well-being. The chatter ceased once Chief Bogo entered and ordered everyone else quiet.

"I have two announcements to make before handing out the assignments. First is an addendum from the Sentinel I received this morning." He put on his reading glasses. "As an extra precaution, there is to be a mandatory waiting period before resuming any scouting of the listed locations. The duration of the period will be determined by the Chief of Police. However, officers passing along them on their patrol routes are permitted to discretely scout from a safe distance.." He then looked up at the officers in the room. "Do you all understand this change in procedure?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Good. Now for the second announcement. There have been reports of robberies occurring at the Bank of Zootopia. Despite the heavy security, money mysteriously disappears from a different branch every fiscal quarter. It is believed to be an inside job since all the exterior entries do not appear to have been used. This priority number one at the moment so any officer not already working on a case will be assigned to finding the perpetrators." He took off his reading glasses and gave the most intense glare he could to emphasize the point. "This information is not public so do not reveal any details of this or there will be severe consequences."

They nodded but remained silent. Just as Nick suspected, the incident at the Rainforest District had not made headlines, but there were reports of explosions being heard in the area. After the announcements, Bogo handed out the assignments. As usual, Judy and Nick were the last ones to receive theirs. The two waited as Bogo took off his reading glasses and looked at them.

"Hopps, Wilde, I'm giving the both of you two days off to recover from your most recent investigation."

They were about to protest when Bogo put up his hoof to stop them.

"But you are still on the case and every permission I've given so far still applies."

Judy and Nick had the look of relief on their faces.

"Before I dismiss you, I want to let you know that we're still working on deciphering those numbers and letters you sent me. Apparently, there is more trouble than expected. I'll let you know as soon as anything comes up. Dismissed."

Judy and Nick left the room as soon as Bogo did and were walking the halls of Precinct One.

"Well that was unexpected, but I shouldn't be surprised." Nick said amusingly.

On the other hand, Judy was more relieved, walking with a bounce. "I'm just happy Bogo is keeping us on the case. He'd be crazy to think otherwise. So what do you want to do now?"

"I was thinking we check on Riley and Valerie to see how things are. Who knows? Maybe Riley has something planned and might need our help."

She considered the suggestion. "Sure, why not?"

With their unexpected grant of leave, the two head to the locker rooms where they kept a set of casual attire for the occasion. Judy wore the clothes from her first trip to Zootopia: her short-sleeved teal shirt with lavender on the lower parts of the sleeves and shirt, and black pants. Nick wore his usual appearance: his light green Hawaiian shirt, a dark indigo necktie with red-and-blue stripes, and a pair of brownish-gray pants. The two kept their badges and ZPD-issued weapons with them just in case.

* * *

At the Riley's place, they made sure no one else was around before entering the secret tunnel. At the dead end, Nick pounded on the wall while Judy called out. "Riley! It's us, Judy and Nick!" They waited a few moments before hearing a response. "One moment!" The wall started descending a few seconds later. Judy and Nick entered and saw Riley and Valerie waiting for them. The off-duty officers noticed Valerie wearing her Assassin robes.

"I assume the reason for Valerie's outfit is because you're training her to fight?" Nick guessed while smiling.

Valerie nodded. "You weren't kidding when you say you can read mammals, but you did leave out one small detail."

Nick became curious when he heard that. "And what would that be?"

"I'm joining the Assassin Order."

Judy and Nick were surprised and looked at Riley.

He merely shrugged his shoulders. "I know. I was surprised when she first said that to me. I questioned her thoroughly about the decision but her reasons convinced me."

Judy returned her attention to Valerie. So many things went on inside her mind at the moment, most involving concern for Valerie. But If Riley of all mammals failed to convince his sister, then it would be pointless to herself to try. In the end, Judy decided to give her a warning instead. "Just remember what you're getting yourself into. You're at a greater risk by doing this."

"I know, but I'm counting on my importance to them to avoid any harm. Sure they could just kill me, but I'm willing to be that I'm more valuable to them alive than dead."

Judy sighed reluctantly. "All right then."

"So judging by the casual attire," Riley said. "I assume you two have a day off from the ZPD."

"Two in fact," Nick clarified. "Chief wanted us to recover from yesterday but allowed us to continue the case. Not that we were already going to do that."

"I can't believe how dedicated you two are in solving this." Valerie said.

"It's…kind of something we've wanted to do for a while now." Judy admitted.

"Solve a big case?" She curiously asked.

Nick tried his best to describe the feeling. "It's not that we haven't solved big cases before. You should know about the Night Howlers and other big ones the news broke. It's just this particular one brings this sense of…how can I put this? Excitement and thrill?"

"Nick and I have dealt with secret organizations and conspiracies before. Some more dangerous than others." Judy interjected. "But there's something about the Assassins and Templars that's different."

"I wouldn't exactly call this exciting or thrilling, but I see your point." Riley conceded.

"I can only assume you two are here because you want to help." Valerie guessed.

"We thought you could use some extra paws for any investigations planned." Nick said.

Riley clapped his paws together. "As a matter of fact, I do. Let me show you."

He led them to the computers and accessed information for the next mission. "This one involves traveling around Zootopia."

"That's risky," Nick said with concern. "But at least we'll have the population to escape into if something happens."

"Remember that if it does, the citizens would know there is more than one of Riley out there." Judy reminded.

"That will not bode well for Zootopia or us." Valerie warned.

"Relax," Riley assured. "We won't have to do anything that drastic for this mission."

He revealed the picture of the next target. "Judy, Nick, do you remember him?"

They looked at the computer screen.

"Yeah, that's Wesley Hart, Bank Manager for the Bank of Zootopia," Nick said. "Bellwether said he is responsible for funding the Templar projects but doesn't know where the money comes from."

"That's exactly what we're going to investigate. Here's the thing. Being a Templar alone is insufficient for an assassination. I need concrete evidence because that's how it's always been. I carry out assassinations usually after months of investigation and discovering irrefutable evidence of their actions. There are exceptions of course when they are an imminent threat such as the bodyguard at the rally and one of Gazelle's dancers."

"And just when are exactly planning to reveal this evidence?" Judy demanded, glaring at Riley with her paws at the hips.

"When they are all dead. Remember as long as one is alive, the chance of being discredited and disputed is present. The dead tell no tales as the saying goes. Regardless, there are too many loose ends at the moment to perform an assassination. Normally, I would have everything ready beforehand, but I've been recently _preoccupied_."

A sudden realization hit Judy and her eyes widened that did not go unnoticed by Valerie.

"Is something wrong Judy?"

She gulped nervously. "Chief Bogo mentioned a string of robberies occurring at the Bank of Zootopia this morning. He suspects to be an inside job."

There was a brief pause as the realization came to everyone else.

"I see," Riley said. "Why don't we do them a favor and take care of that for them? They won't even have to worry about arresting him."

"I know it's obvious because of the immediate danger present," Valerie interjected. "But you must have other reasons for targeting Hart over the others first."

"Yes. At the current rate the Templars are carrying out the projects, it will take too much time for us to continually stop them. By cutting their funds, it will force them to reorganize and give us precious time to be ahead and gain an advantage."

"You can't just infiltrate the Bank of Zootopia without getting caught," Judy chastised. "There's more security there than at the ZPD."

"I know. I'll worry about when it comes time for the assassination. The focus right now is on finding the incriminating evidence."

"What's the plan then?" Nick asked.

Riley brought up information. "I managed to do some prep work in my spare time and narrowed it down to four locations of interests: a shipment in Sahara Square, a meeting in Savanna Central with the remaining Templars, a woodchuck assistant in Tundratown, and a residence in Rainforest District. This could work if we're willing to investigate separately."

"We can do that so long we stay in communication with each other." Judy said.

"Our radios will do. Now each of us needs to choose an objective. I can take the shipment in Sahara Square since it might be heavily guarded."

"I'll take the meeting in Savanna Central," Judy said while stroking her ears. "My hearing will definitely help pick up any information without being too close."

"I should be able to convince the woodchuck to reveal any information," Nick said confidently. "If not, Mr. Big could be of help since it will be in his territory. Hopefully, it won't come to that but I doubt it."

"Guess that leaves the residence in Rainforest District," Valerie said with no complaint. "I can put those stealth lessons you've been teaching me into action."

"Then it's settled," Riley confirmed. "Now before we do anything else," He looked at Judy and Nick. "We need to get the two of you on equal terms with us."

Judy became excited and Nick smiled.

"I guess that means…" Nick responded.

"That's right." Riley typed on the keyboard and the Animus appeared behind them descended. "Prepare to have a sixth sense."

Judy squealed in delight and started jumping up and down while Nick kept his smile though his tail wagging rapidly betrayed his expression.

"Since we have two days, we'll spend today preparing ourselves and carry out the investigations tomorrow. I'm not sure how long it takes for the Bleeding Effect to come into effect so we'll need as much time as possible. Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Judy jumped in excitement.

She ran over to the Animus and made herself comfortable while Riley hooked her up to the machine. Once everything was set, he sat down at the terminal and started it up. Nick and Valerie stood alongside him and watched.

"How are you doing in there, Carrots?" Nick asked.

"Ready to make the world a better place! Even though it already happened."

"All right," Riley said. "I'm going to first scan your body's entire genome and then we can choose what ancestor to explore. This should take a few moments."

Riley readied the scan on the terminal and hit the button. "Now relax and let the Animus take over."

The other three watched an image of Judy appeared on the terminal. The image was highlighted and a bar appeared with the words _Scanning in Progress_ displayed on top along with a percentage bar. The bar slowly began to fill before picking up speed as the image continued to be highlighted. Finally, the scan was completed and a list of ancestors appeared on the screen. One for each side of Judy's family.

"It's done," Riley said. "Now all that is left is to choose the ancestor."

"I can't wait! So am I supposed to do anything in this blank room I'm in?"

"Don't worry," Valerie said. "Once my brother selects an ancestor, the rendition should appear in the memory corridor."

"Okay."

"Wow," Riley said as he looked at the list. "Didn't think there would be so many."

Judy chuckled. "What can I say? We bunnies are good at multiplying."

"You think you can narrow down the list?" Nick complained while rubbing his temple. "Because we'll be spending the whole day just figuring out which of Judy's long dead relatives are Assassins and my eyes are hurting just from looking at this abnormally large list."

"I wouldn't laugh at this you dumb fox. Your list could be just as long!"

"Carrots, I'm willing to bet my ancestors are more handsome than your cute ones."

"Why you little…" Judy started getting up, peeved at Nick for using the c-word towards her ancestors, but Valerie quickly rushed over and held her down.

Riley held onto Nick just in case. "Okay, okay, we get it. We have a lot of ancestors who look different."

Judy calmed down enough for Valerie to release her.

"To answer your question, Nick. Yes, I do have the settings to narrow it down," He made the modifications. "There. The list contains only those who were Assassins or made contact with them according to our database. I added the second one because they may have played an important role with the Assassins and it increases the chance of finding one with eagle vision. Let's see." He read the list of names until one caught his attention. "Now that's interesting."

"What is it?" Judy replied.

"It seems you're a descendant of the mammal who is named after the martial arts I practice."

"Wow, really?" She said in amazement.

"The Animus does not lie. But from what I'm reading, it appears this ancestor made little contact with the Assassins so exploring those memories is not a priority. Still, I'll mark this one for recreational purposes in case you wish to take a break from the targeted one."

"I'm fine with that."

Riley continued the search until he found another. "Well. Well. Well. What do we have here?" He brought up the description and removed the filters.

"What is it?"

"It seems you and Nick weren't the first rabbit-fox duo to be involved with the Assassins as far as I can tell."

"Now those are memories I would explore," Nick said. "You think I could be related to that fox?"

"Let me see what I can do without having to end Judy's session prematurely." Riley brought up the database entry for the ancestor and read it.

"Laverne Cottontail, born and raised in Bunnyburrow."

"Ha! I always knew Cottontail was your name at some point!" Nick knew he did that on purpose to agitate Judy, and it worked.

"Shut up Nick!"

Riley ignored the argument. "Continuing on. After disaster struck her family and farm, she fled to Zootopia with the hopes of raising enough to return home and rebuild her family and farm. She later succeeded and married a buck with the surname Hopps, eventually living out the rest of her life in peace. Now for the important stuff,

"By the way," Riley interrupted. "That's exactly how it's written and I have no idea who is the author."

"While in Zootopia, Laverne was always looked down upon for being a bunny. One day while coming home from one of her jobs, she was attacked by a small group of predators. Despite her best efforts to prove she was more than some token bunny, they managed to subdue her and made sexual advances. It was then her unexpected savior arrived. A red fox dressed in robes appeared and disposed of her attackers. Shocked that her natural enemy would save her, Laverne inquired the red fox but the mammal disappeared as soon as it appeared. From that day forward, she sought out the red fox's identity and eventually succeeded. His name was Piberius Wilde and he was an Assassin. Feeling in debt to him, Laverne pleaded to aid in Piberius's cause and after many failed attempts to deny her, Piberius relented. Thus Laverne Cottontail, later to be Laverne Hopps, became the first and so far only Assassin from the Hopps family."

There was a brief silence after he finished reading.

"Wow," Riley said in amazement. "I did not expect that."

"I always did wonder why my parents gave me that middle name," Judy said while still in awe from the revelation. "I doubt they knew about this part of her history, but they did tell me how she saved the family and their livelihood. Hey, Nick!" Her tone quickly became cheery again. "Now we know where are middle names came from!"

Valerie looked at Nick with amusement. "Your middle name is Piberius?"

Nick covered his face with his paws in embarrassment. "Please don't mention this to anybody else. I don't want this to kill my joy of hearing the exciting news of my relation."

The rest of them chuckled at his embarrassment.

"So Judy," Riley said, quickly returning to the matter at hand. "Do you want to this ancestor?"

"Of course! I'm curious if those two are just like us!"

"Then let me prepare the simulation and memories." Riley typed a few things on the terminal. "And it's done. You should see yourself as the ancestor momentarily."

Judy waited patiently as the blank room remained in her vision. Then a figure started to appear and soon Judy found herself in control and wearing different clothes. "It worked! This is so awesome!" Judy watched herself move around and performing actions in the memory corridor.

"Ready to dive in the past?"

"Ready!"

Judy continued to move around the memory corridor in excitement until her entire vision began to turn white. Before long, digital representations started to appear in the memory corridor and gradually grew. Before long, a completely different version of Zootopia appeared that clearly showed that she was in the past. After the scene was recreated, Judy found herself on the streets, in awe with the same feeling as when she first arrived in Zootopia.

"So this is what Zootopia looked like back then. Wow."

"Okay Judy. To make sure everything goes smoothly, you're going to spend some time getting used to the environment before exploring the specific memories. Right now you're in free roam so anything you do will not affect the outcome unless it causes desynchronization."

"How will I keep track of that?"

"There's a bar in the top left corner that shows it. It will regenerate as long as you don't continue performing actions that will cause it to go down."

"Got it."

With that, Riley sat back in his chair and let Judy have her fun.

"So how long are you going to keep her in there?" Nick asked.

"Not too long since it's her first time. I don't want Judy to have a mental breakdown because her and her ancestor's memories clashed. This only happens with direct ancestors. If she were exploring a non-relative, she could stay in there for as long as she wishes."

"At what point does the Bleeding Effect no longer become a concern?" Nick was right to be concerned for his partner and friend.

"When you spend enough time in the Animus," Valerie answered. "I know it doesn't sound right but it's the only way it stopped bothering me."

"It's like building up to a specific poison by slowly introducing it into your body in small amounts." Riley added.

Nick nodded in agreement. "That makes sense."

The conversation was suddenly interrupted when the terminal started beeping. Riley quickly turned to his attention to it and find out the cause.

"What happened?" Valerie asked.

Riley chuckled. "Looks like Judy got herself desynchronized."

Nick smirked at the information. "What did you do, Carrots? Jump off a building because you thought your ancestor had powerful bunny legs?"

Judy only scowled in response.

"Actually that's what happened. The terminal listed that as the cause." Riley said while pointing to the screen.

Nick busted out in laughter and fell to the floor.

Judy only got angrier at Nick's response. "Not funny Nick!"

"Oh come on, Carrots!" Nick said as he calmed down and got back up. "Just think of it as your first days at the police academy. You'll only get better from here."

"Nick is right, Judy," Valerie said while trying to hide her laugh. "The same thing happened to me and Riley during our first trip in the Animus. It's only normal."

Judy sighed heavily and calmed down. "So how long before I appear again?"

"Right about…now." Riley answered.

Judy found herself back in the simulated Zootopia.

"You know what to do from here. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll let you know when it's time to leave."

Judy spent the rest of the morning in free roam and explored a few of the memories. With the goal of learning eagle vision through her ancestor, she focused on that as much as she could. Judy was in awe at using the sixth sense and to find out more about her ancestor and her fox partner from the memories. She was mildly surprised that the two behaved the way as Judy and Nick do around each other. While in the midst of exploring, Judy noticed the scene disappearing and found herself in the memory corridor.

"Your session is over Judy." Riley said.

"No wait! Five more minutes please!" She begged.

"No can do Judy. The Bleeding Effect will be more dangerous to your health the longer you stay in there. Besides, I'm the one with the controls here so I have the final decision."

"Fine." Judy relented as she pouted.

Riley terminated the session and Judy got up from the chair stretching her arms and legs. Being in the Animus for a couple of hours did have an immediate effect as she had trouble moving. Valerie and Nick assisted her out of the chair and helped her stand up. Judy recovered almost immediately.

"You feeling well Carrots?" Nick asked.

"Yes. Thanks you two."

"You're welcome." Valerie said.

"So here's the plan for the rest of the day," Riley said. "We'll have a lunch break so I can work on improving the Animus and make it more efficient and less hazardous. Afterwards, Nick will have his session. Once that's done, we prepare for our investigation the next day. Do you all agree with this?"

They nodded in response.

"Good. Help yourself to whatever I have in the fridge. I have food for both predators and prey."

* * *

"Ready Nick?" Riley asked.

"Mhmm."

The black lynx scanned Nick's entire genome just as he did with Judy. Once the scan was completed, the terminal listed Nick's ancestors from both sides of the family.

"Let me check something first before we find Piberius." He modified the settings and searched through the list. Riley soon found what he was looking for. "Aha! There you are!"

"Care to tell us what it is?" Valerie asked.

"Nick my friend, you just happen to be a descendant of _the_ Robin Hood."

"My my Mr. Fox," Judy said with her arms at the hips. "It seems that brushing against law runs in the family."

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I can't help if my ancestors knew how to hustle."

"I'll mark that for recreational use as well. Now let's get back to business." Having a name to work with made it easier to find that ancestor. "You want me to read his database entry as well?"

"Sure." Nick replied.

"Piberius Wilde, born and raised in Zootopia. His father worked as a tailor while his mother assisted him in the shop. Ultimately, there is very little records on Piberius in the public records. Only that he married, raised a family, and continued to work his father's tailor shop. Some records mention a surprising friendship with a rabbit from Bunnyburrow. Now for his relation to the Assassins. His family comes from a long line of Assassins. Piberius received minimal training at a young age and was introduced and initiated into the Assassins on his 18th birthday. He became loyal to the Assassins because they allowed him to be more than the stereotypes for foxes. His distaste for the Templars stemmed from the fact they encourage such behavior towards foxes. One day he came across a female bunny being assaulted by predators. Feeling pity, Piberius rescued the bunny and fled before she could speak to him. Unfortunately, it would not be the last time Piberius would see the doe. After multiple failed attempts to escape her, he finally arranged a meeting to convince her to stay away from him. Instead, Piberius learned her name was Laverne Cottontail and she became his partner in eradicating the Templars controlling Zootopia at the time."

Again, there was a brief pause.

"Carrots," Nick said, finally breaking the silence. "What is about you and your ancestors in getting involved with other mammals' business? Are all rabbits that curious?"

Judy giggled, knowing Nick never failed to inject humor at any given moment. "I mean hey at least it paid off, and more than once too evidently."

Nick sighed. "I hope this bunny is more bearable to work with. Working with a bunny cop is already a hassle. I can't imagine what working with a bunny Assassin will be like. I wonder which one is cuter."

Valerie immediately held Judy back as she attempted to charge at him, angrily flailing her limbs and uttering incoherent noise for him saying the c-word again. "Seriously Nick, do you ever not tease Judy?"

"It's too much fun to stop and she knows she likes it," Nick admitted. "Even the c-word."

"You're going to regret saying that!"

Riley sat back in the chair amused at the scene before returning to the terminal. "Enjoy your time Nick. You know the drill." He pressed the button and sent Nick to the past.

Judy calmed down as Nick entered the past, knowing he'll get his comeuppance after the session. She quickly became curious with another thought. "Riley, do you think there is a way for both of us to be inside the Animus at the same time?"

"I have been thinking about that for a while now. The Animus has many training programs that would be more enjoyable with more than one user. The only concern is the amount of time used to make it work and it will involve a lot of trial and error. The assassinations have also been distracting."

"If only we knew how to operate the machine, we'll gladly help and you haven't spent much time in there since my first session." Valerie added.

"I'm actually in the process of modifying the Animus to where its user controlled. You can freely enter and leave and the whole process is self-taught. I am using any free time available to make it possible. It beats trying to teach the basics of the Animus."

"Looking forward to when that happens," Judy said. "By then, Nick and I hope the Bleeding Effect isn't as hazardous."

Their conversation was interrupted once again, but this time they heard snickering. They looked to see Nick quietly laughing.

"What's the matter with him?" Valerie asked.

"Oh dear," Riley said. "It appears Nick has just discovered how to get money."

"What's wrong with that?" Judy wondered.

"Well you see…there are normal methods such as looting from random locations and performing contracts. Then there are _illegal_ methods. Here's a hint: you've seen how you can't directly interact with the folks while in free roam so..."

It took a moment for Judy to come to the realization. When she did, Judy immediately became furious and glared at Nick with her paws clenched and foot rapidly thumping. "Nicholas Piberius Wilde! Do not tell me you are stealing money!"

"Okay Carrots," Nick said, still laughing from his successes. "I'm _not_ stealing money."

Judy growled in response but kept her composure to avoid being restrained again.

"Relax, Carrots. It's only virtual money. There is no harm in that. You need to learn how to drop that police mentality once in a while and have fun."

Still angry, Judy crossed her arms and her foot kept on thumping, turning to Riley. "Please tell me he won't get away with it."

"That depends on a few factors—"

They were interrupted again by Nick's sudden change in behavior.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, run away! Run away!"

"Yep, he just got caught pick-pocketing and the authorities are after him. By the way, they aren't really merciful to that behavior."

"Get away from me! Get away from me! Ah! Stop hitting me! This is police brutality! No!"

The terminal made a familiar noise.

"And Nick just got himself desynchronized from being beaten to death."

Judy and Valerie were laughing at Nick's misfortune while he remained silent, not having any sort of comeback to make.

"Ha! Who's the dumb one now?!" Judy exclaimed in victory.

* * *

The afternoon session finally ended and Nick was helped out of the Animus by Judy and Valerie.

"I think that should be enough time for the Bleeding Effect to occur." Riley said.

"So what happens now?" Judy asked.

"We test it out." Riley grabbed a piece of paper and held it in front of Judy and Nick. "Look at the paper."

The two did so and nothing happened after a few seconds.

"I don't see anything." Nick answered.

"Try again. But this time, concentrate all your thoughts."

Judy and Nick looked at the blank paper again, this time following Riley's instructions. A few seconds later, their vision suddenly changed and the Assassin insignia appeared on the paper. Judy and Nick jerked backwards in shock and awe.

"OH MY GOSH!"

"SWEET CHEESE AND CRACKERS!"

"I take it by your response that you have eagle vision." Riley said.

They both nodded and still in shock, despite having used eagle vision while in the Animus. It felt drastically different using the ability firsthand.

"H-how do we get out of it?" Judy asked. "The Animus didn't really show us what to do another than running."

"Just do the same thing to activate it."

Judy and Nick did so and their vision returned to normal.

"Wow," Nick said in awe. "This is going to be fun."

"Just don't make me regret doing this."

"Don't worry," Judy assured. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"Good, now we can move on to the next step. But first, we need to pay a visit to Precinct One."

* * *

Later that day, the four of them sat in Chief Bogo's office as Riley explained the plans for the next investigation, not wanting to strain the already fragile partnership with the ZPD.

"As you can see Chief Bogo, there is no possible way for the target's death because it is not my intention of doing so. Now I understand your reluctance after the trip from the Rainforest District, but I can assure you that the purpose is to find probable cause for an arrest and hopefully an assassination, not to perform one."

They sat in silence for a few moments after Riley finished speaking.

Bogo held his hooves together as he stared at the four sitting before him. While satisfied that the Sentinel approached him for once, he was troubled at whom they were investigating. If Wesley Hart is indeed responsible, then it would explain the recent, mysterious robberies yet the ramifications were enough to frighten the normally stern buffalo. Having seen his photo among the mammals the Sentinel presented during their first meeting already troubles him. The revelation of the identity and occupation confirmed his worst fears. What disturbs him is that the Sentinel has every intention to carry out an assassination on him. Bogo wished he was let in on the information just as Hopps and Wilde have, but he along with the rest of the officers didn't exactly give him a reason to trust them. Hopefully, he can convince the Sentinel in arresting Hart instead of killing him, but that will have to wait until they can prove his actions.

"If what you say is true, then you are free to carry out your plans. As soon as you find anything that points Hart to the crime, report to me immediately so we can discuss the next step. I need to fully understand why you wish to take his life."

"I will speak to your heart's content Chief."

"Good. You are dismissed."

They saluted the Chief and proceeded out of the room. Riley was last to leave when Bogo called him out.

"Sentinel, may I have a word with you?"

The others wondered what the Chief wanted.

Riley waved his paw at them. "I'll meet up with you later."

They nodded in agreement.

Riley closed the door to Bogo's office and sat back down. "Is there something you wanted to tell me Chief Bogo?"

"Yes," He sighed before continuing. "I understand that you have every reason not to trust us, but you must realize that we cannot fully assist you unless fully informed."

Riley remained silent which surprised the Chief. He expected him to object to where he was going with the conversation.

"Even if you continue this behavior towards the other officers, I want to assure you that you can trust me with the same information as you have entrusted with Hopps and Wilde. As the Chief of Police, you should know that I have been very successful in keeping secrets entrusted to me from the public and even my own officers."

Riley still remained silent but nodded in understanding.

"But," His tone quickly changing to a more serious tone. "I will not have you endanger the lives of my officers just because your information is sensitive. Judging from what I've seen and heard, you're not one to allow that to happen. If you know anything that will put them in danger, then I expect you to inform me about it."

As much as Riley didn't like the idea, Bogo was right. As an Assassin, it was not only his duty to stop the Templars but also protect the populace, even if it means involving outsiders. While it was common for Assassins to involve outsiders, it was usually because society either abandoned or looked down upon them. Here, these mammals were the opposite and he couldn't in good conscious let their lives be ruined. But if he continued his silence, Riley would be breaking the First tenet of the Creed. The last thing he needed was more guilt and pain from innocent lives lost.

Riley sighed in resignation. "Yes, Chief. I understand where you're coming from. At this point with all the attention I've been attracting, it will be very difficult for me to continue my work. I am more than willing to cooperate as long as our paths run parallel."

"I'm glad we can finally come to an understanding. One more thing if you don't mind me asking."

"It's Riley, sir. I trust you can keep this a secret." He had hoped to avoid revealing his full identity but needed to make some concessions if Riley wanted the ZPD's continued support.

"I can promise you that and you can hold me to it."

"Don't make me regret this. But I do want to thank you for assisting Hopps and Wilde last night. You have no idea what those mammals have done to Valerie."

"And I won't let that happen to myself and my officers as well. I will be ready to listen to whatever you have to say."

"I look forward to our next meeting. Hopefully, it will be private."

"It will be arranged."

With that, Riley nodded and gave one more salute before leaving the office. He noticed the others outside waiting for him.

"How much did you hear?"

"Just about everything." Valerie replied.

Riley simply nodded. "Do you think I made the right decision?"

"If there's one mammal you can trust besides Carrots and me, it's the Chief," Nick responded. "You heard what he said."

"I know. It's just I fear the consequences of involving so many innocents."

"We understand the feeling," Judy reasoned. "But it's not necessary to place such a burden on yourself. It's our job to take care of each other, not for one individual to do it all."

"You're right." Riley chuckled afterwards. "It's ironic that I finally understand why the past Assassins were reluctant to let outsiders involved. But seeing that the Templars haven't taken complete control speaks volume."

"And we intend to keep it that way." Nick assured.

Riley nodded in response. "Now that we cleared that obstacle, this is the plan for tomorrow. Since my appearance is notorious, we can't be seen wearing the robes when traveling to our destinations. We go in casuals and change into the robes once there. When your objective is complete, report in and switch attire. We return to my base immediately to discuss our findings. You still have your weapons?"

"In our lockers except for the air rifles." Judy answered while gesturing in the general direction.

"That takes care of that. You don't mind arranging the transportation again do you?"

"Not at all and we have just the thing." Nick said.

"I can hardly wait," Riley wondered what else Judy and Nick had in mind. "Bring a bag tomorrow so I can prepare our care packages."

That peaked Nick's interests. "Ooh, I wonder what gadgets you'll give us."

"You'll know tomorrow," Valerie said. "See you later."

They waved goodbye to each other and Riley and Valerie exited the Precinct, leaving Judy and Nick in the lobby.

"You thinking what I'm thinking Carrots?"

"Mhmm, it's time to call the _family_."

* * *

Early next morning, Judy and Nick met with Riley and Valerie in the secret base. Riley was still in his robes while Valerie was already in her normal clothes: gray pants that went to her ankles and a button-up red blouse.

"You have your bags and weapons?" Riley asked

They revealed their backpacks and the weapons inside to him.

"Good, give them to me."

Judy and Nick handed him the items.

"I'll return shortly." The black lynx took his leave.

"So Valerie, how is the training Riley is giving you?" Judy asked.

"Very intense, but the Animus does help speed things up. I can only imagine the Police Academy being almost similar without the Animus."

"We can only speak from our experience." Nick said.

"If you want, you can ask Riley to give you a few lessons during your days off." Valerie offered.

"I am curious to know his training." Judy said.

"I do wonder if there are more Assassins in Zootopia or it's just him." Nick asked.

"He doesn't want to talk about it whenever I ask him," Valerie said. "I stopped asking after a few times out of respect and from the way he responded."

"Something must have happened to the Assassins to make him feel reluctant." Judy wondered. "He definitely must have been involved somehow."

"Hopefully whenever there is a break from these investigations, he can finally talk about it." Nick said.

Riley returned with their backpacks and in casual attire: a blue and white button-up polo shirt over a plain white t-shirt and tan pants.

"Wow," Nick said in amazement. "I've never seen you without your robe before."

"That's a good look on you if I must say." Judy complimented.

"I have a modest taste in clothing." Riley acknowledged before giving each of them a bag. "These contain your robes, weapons, information and equipment specific to your objectives. Is our ride here?"

"It's outside waiting for us." Judy said.

"Let's get moving then."

Outside, the four of them were greeted by a white limo and its driver, a black jaguar.

Riley was surprised at the sight. "Should I even ask how this was possible?"

"Two words: Mr. Big." Judy said.

"Of course. Figures since we're going in his territory."

"Say hello to our driver: Mr. Manchas." Nick introduced. "Don't worry. He's not afraid of you and knows where we're going."

Riley and Manchas looked at each other for a few moments before the lynx spoke.

"Hello, Mr. Manchas. It's nice to meet you." Riley extended his paw.

Manchas shook it with no hesitation. "A pleasure." He released his paw. "It is true then. You do belong to our family."

"If you mean being a feline, then yes. If you mean being a part of Mr. Big's family, then yes to that as well. I do apologize if my actions are bringing fear to the predators."

"No hard feelings. No one can determine your exact species because of how well you hide features. Your physique also prevents the fear from falling on those with the same fur color as yours."

"Glad to hear that. I don't want a repeat of prey's treatment toward predators during the Night Howlers, even if it's on a smaller scale."

"I heard about that. I can only imagine the pain and suffering that occurred."

Riley became confused since the Night Howlers were big news in Zootopia. "You didn't experience it?"

"I was…under treatment at the time." He said nervously.

Riley realized what he meant and immediately regretted asking. "Ah, forgive me if I was insensitive."

"No offense taken."

"I must ask. How much do you know about me?" Riley wanted to be sure Manchas didn't know too much should he ever be interrogated by the Templars

"Only what they choose to say."

Riley felt relieved at his sister and friends' discretion. "Good, the less you know the better." He proceeded to open the passenger door for the others. "Shall we?"

"Such a gentlemammal." Valerie complimented.

They all entered the limo and departed for their destinations. On the way, Riley explained the plan one more time and for them to report in once they're in uniform. Manchas dropped off Judy, Valerie, and Riley at their destinations while continuing to drive Nick since he was going to Tundratown. Once there, Nick ordered Manchas to stop at a location of his choice. All four go to a secluded location and changed into the Assassin robes. Once everyone was ready, they checked in with each other.

"This is Judy Hopps here."

"Nick Wilde, dressed and armed."

"Valerie Lucius, ready to begin."

"Riley Lucius, read you all loud and clear. Everyone should read over their case files and plan accordingly before doing anything. We cannot have any failures. Understand?"

"Yes." They said.

"Good," Riley then left them with some parting words said by the Assassins almost a millennium ago. "Safety and peace be upon you all."

* * *

 **AN: Couple things**

 **-Fall semester started this week so updates are taking a hit. The only thing I can promise is that I will not let a month pass with a new chapter. Hopefully I can keep that one. I apologize if this upsets anyone.**

 **-I really don't know how the Animus scans for ancestors so that part was made up. Correct me if I'm wrong and I'll edited later.**

 **-I wanted to put some significance behind Judy and Nick's middle names so I thought 'Hey, why not have it as their ancestor's first names?'. Funny thing, I was working with Laverne Hopps until I realized she would have changed it when she got married so I used one of Nick's pet names for Judy for the surname.**

 **-Guilty as charged. I couldn't resist making Robin Hood one of Nick's ancestor. As for Judy's, it took more research and careful consideration. More will be explained in later chapters of their significance to the plot.**

 **-I'm open to suggestions in describing the setting for Zootopia their ancestors are in as Judy and Nick have only scratched the surface so far. Their first session in the Animus was more of an introduction hence most of their time spent in free roam. PMs are preferred but they can be in reviews as well.**

 **-Last thing, any AC fans out there think Judy and Nick are similar to Jacob and Evie Frye in terms of personality? Or get that Syndicate reference with the bank robbery?**


	17. Investigation

**Just want to put this part here from the announcement as a reminder** **:**

 **As of 9/5/16, this story hit 50 followers and 10,000 views. While they might not be huge milestones, they are milestones nonetheless, and I am very grateful for this story to have achieved that.**

* * *

Judy Hopps looked over the information in the case file. Wesley Hart is to hold a meeting with the remaining Templars to discuss the recent events. Thanks to a message intercepted earlier by Riley, the meeting is to occur at midday and in a park. The location of the park was also given.

"Ugh! Of course, they make things difficult by being in an open area and not specifying the location in the park. Hopefully, Riley packed me something that will make this easier."

She closed the file and searched the backpack. Along with her standard weapons, Judy found two devices: a recorder and a GPS to track said recorder. There was also note explaining how the recorder is easy to attach but difficult to detach and can be fired from the air rifle if necessary.

"It's certainly better than having to get close with my carrot pen. Hmm, I wonder if he can modify the pen's range. I'll ask him later."

She put away the items and went to the park. Without a specific location, Judy had no choice but to walk around searching for the deer. Normally, the bunny would be upset over that detail but not this time. Judy smirked and concentrated her thoughts until her vision changed.

"Didn't expect a bunny with eagle vision to find you now huh Wesley Hart?" She said triumphantly.

The bunny was in awe of the things revealed by her newly-gained ability: potential hiding spots glowed, police officers appeared in blue of all colors, and surprisingly a few were marked in red with everything else in a dark background. Knowing what the colors stood for, Judy resisted in investigating the red individuals lest she miss the meeting. When returning to normal vision, those marked in red remained that way. Judy covered her mouth in shock, trying to wonder why this was happening. Then, it hit her.

"So that's what Riley meant by tagging enemies." A wide smile appeared on the bunny's face. "Where was this during all those dead ends and pursuits?" Her mind wandered at the possibilities. "Fighting crime will never be the same again."

The bunny quickly returned focus on the mission and continued searching. Judy kept the hood off to avoid drawing eyes to her and having the backpack helped with the disguise. She only used her Sense whenever a deer was in sight to confirm the identity.

After what felt like hours of waiting, a deer wearing a green polo shirt and tan slacks appeared. Through eagle vision, the mammal appeared and was tagged in yellow, confirming the identity as Wesley Hart. Seeing a nearby tree, Judy quickly hid behind it and placed her backpack down. She quickly assembled the rifle and inserted the recorder in it.

"I only got one shot so I better make it count."

Judy aimed the rifle at him and waited for a clear shot while taking the range into consideration. Because of the warm weather, Wesley decided to stop and make himself more presentable by fixing his collar. At that moment, Judy fired and the device attached itself under the collar just when Wesley finished. The deer failed to notice anything hit him.

Uncertain if she was successful because of their distance, Judy immediately took out the GPS and turned it on. A warning first appeared saying to destroy the device once the necessary audio is acquired if necessary. She hastily acknowledged the warning and worked on tracking the recorder. A few moments later, the GPS finally picked up the device on the deer.

"Yes!" She quietly exclaimed while punching the air. "Now to wait for his friends to arrive."

Judy disassembled the rifle and put back the parts away as walking around with a weapon out will definitely draw suspicion. She checked the GPS again to see the maximum tracking range for the recorder. After confirming the number, Wesley was on the move again and so was Judy. The bunny watched the deer walk around in search for his colleagues. Judy kept her distance and hid in case Wesley turned around to see if they were behind him.

Finally, a zebra, hyena, and kangaroo appeared and greeted the deer. From behind a tree, Judy recognized them as the remaining Templars because they were seen and tagged in yellow: Arlyss Maverick: the zebra, Karim Kazar: the hyena, and Florence Flyer: the kangaroo. The zebra wore a gray t-shirt with blue cargo shorts. The hyena wore a plain white t-shirt and red athletic shorts. The kangaroo's attire was more modest with a purple blouse and black pants.

A plethora of feelings engulfed Judy. Here before her were four of the most powerful mammals in Zootopia with one being at the top of their Order. The police mentality urged the bunny to arrest them right then and there, but Riley's words about loose ends prevented her from doing so. It took all of Judy's willpower to resist. She quickly regained control of herself and took a quick photo of them on her phone. Judy then checked the GPS and heard their voices.

"Good, all I have to do now is stay in range and the device will record their words."

Now that they were all together, Judy pulled the hood over as they were sure to recognize her if seen. In the meantime, she continued to listen in on their conversation hoping they say something incriminating.

"Why are we even meeting out here in the first place?" Hart demanded. "Wouldn't it be better to meet somewhere more private?"

"Because Wesley," Maverick said. "In a private place, we would stand out as business associates to _curious_ eyes. Out here, we are seen as friends just taking a walk and having a conversation. No one will even bother looking our way."

Hart sighed. "I still don't feel safe. The Assassin could be watching us at this moment, waiting to strike."

 _Oh the irony_. Judy thought the moment she heard that.

"You forget that Zootopia knows the appearance." Maverick reminded. "Even if the Assassin is here right now, it will be impossible to perform an assassination and get away cleanly."

"Then what about the information we speak?"

"As long as we keep to ourselves," Kazar said. "Our information will not be in hearing distance."

"Let's begin then. I don't want to stay out here any longer than necessary."

"You must remain calm Wesley." Flyer reminded. "Your behavior will draw suspicion."

Wesley reluctantly agreed and calmed down.

The four resumed walking with Judy following close behind out of their sight. The bunny used every cover possible to avoid detection: from trees to benches but avoided other mammals. Judy also improvised with Nick's habit of taking selfies whenever she finds herself alone. It worked as the Templars assumed the bunny was going around taking pictures of herself for whatever reason not important to them. Tagging the Templars with eagle vision greatly helped if Judy needed to remain undetected by staying back a little longer. As long as she maintained the distance, her hearing and the recording will continue to record the conversation.

"Is everything set?" Maverick asked.

"Yes," Hart confirmed. "The shipment is coming in today and will be sent to you as soon as it's processed. You should receive it later today at the earliest. You know how these things are."

"Good," Kazar said. "After my forces are prepared, they will be sent to you. Do you remember the routine?"

"I let them in and assist with moving the contents to a separate storehouse."

The other Templars can hear the hesitation in Hart's tone.

"We understand this has been difficult for you because of these recent losses." Flyer said. "Just remember that if you have any lingering doubts, all of this is for the greater good. We know your commitment to the cause is without any shred of doubt."

"I have no lingering doubts. The citizens squander their money on frivolous things regardless of their motives and blame us for when things go wrong or when we try to do our jobs." Hart said, becoming more agitated by the second. "Do they not realize it is how they spend money that affects them?"

"It is most unfortunate," Maverick said. "Once we achieve our new Zootopia though, the money will be put to better use and for a good cause. No more will you deal with their quarrels."

"I look forward to when that time comes. What of the matter with the Assassin?"

"Leave that to me, but that is not the main concern." Flyer said. "Right now, we must focus on the task at hand. This latest project must not fail as the rest have. Our power and influence grow weaker with each passing day and our enemy grows stronger."

"The project is in its final stages of preparation," Kazar said. "Once the last shipment is received, we can proceed to the next phase. Not even the Assassin will be able to impede our progress."

"Soon the losses suffered and sacrifices made will not be in vain and the Assassin will no longer be a problem," Maverick assured. "When everything is said and done, Zootopia can finally move forward to a better future and we will withstand any retaliation that comes against us. Now, we all must return to our work before our enemy strikes once again. May the Father of Understanding guide us."

"May the Father of Understanding guide us."

The four go their separate ways afterwards. After they were gone, Judy confirmed the audio on the GPS before hitting the self-destruction option.

While returning to work, Hart heard a small pop that sounded like an explosion behind him causing the deer to flinch in response. In his panic, Hart turned around and checked his surroundings. Seeing nothing suspicious, the deer quickly calmed down and reassured himself that it was only his imagination before resuming his walk.

After the device was confirmed destroyed, shock and disbelief fell on Judy's face as she pulled the hood off.

"No…so that's how they carry out the robberies. I hope the others find out about this. Chief Bogo may end up in the hospital from shock when he hears our report."

Judy decided to wait in the park instead of standing around at the insertion point. She went to a secluded location and changed back into her normal attire. There, Judy sat down on a bench she found and listened through the recording. The bunny decided to have a back-up and recorded the conversation on her carrot pen.

* * *

Valerie Lucius read over the information in the case file. Wesley Hart's residence has few entry points and is heavily guarded with mammals with heightened senses and a security system. A picture of the residence and its address were given. Like most places in the Rainforest District, it was built into the tree with many expansions added from Hart's high-income job. The security was established and paid for by Hart himself. Though as noted by Riley in the file, it was possible that the bank's money was used.

"I need to lighten the security before I can even get to the perimeters."

Valerie put the file away and checked her bag for gadgets. She found a case containing lock picks, an Exterior Pro with a USB cord, and a set of hacking instructions. Valerie stared in disbelief at the paper that covered both sides.

"Really bro? You expect me to learn this on the fly even with instructions?"

She shook her head and read them, hopeing to learn enough of the basics. Once she had a grasp of the concept, Valerie put items away and assembled her air rifle before traveling to the residence. There, the lynx stopped a short distance away from the perimeter and concentrated her senses. Her vision changed and mammals appearing in red guarded every inch of the place.

The initial entry was a rope bridge with two sentries: both wolves. Light poles were carefully built along the bridge to light the path at night. Through eagle vision, Valerie saw they contained hidden security cameras. With that in mind, the lynx made her next move. Remembering what her brother taught her, she whistled to attract the wolves' attention. It worked as one of them heard her and looked around.

"What's wrong?" One wolf asked.

"I heard a whistle."

He waved him off. "It must be your imagination."

"Still, I'm going to check it out. Our orders are to check any disturbance." The wolf wandered off to investigate.

"I really wished he wasn't this paranoid." The other wolf muttered once alone.

The wolf who heard the whistle carefully approached Valerie's location. He sniffed the foliage to make sure there was nothing. The wolf picked up a scent and quickly followed it. While looking, a pair of blue eyes caught his attention. Before he could respond, the wolf was pulled into the foliage and felt something pressed hard against his neck. He struggled to breathe and move while slowly losing consciousness. The wolf soon went limp and was dragged deeper into the foliage.

Meanwhile, the other wolf heard the noise and looked in that direction. His eyes widened at the movement among the leaves and his buddy's sudden disappearance. The wolf cautiously approached the area with his weapon drawn and ready to fire. At the location, he sniffed the area for his buddy when a pair of white paws came out of the fauna and grabbed him. The wolf yelped as he was pulled in and felt a surge of electricity in his side before losing consciousness.

With both wolves incapacitated and safe hidden, Valerie aimed the air rifle at the light poles closest to her. Using leftover dummy darts, she quickly disabled the hidden cameras inside and ran to the entry point. Knowing that destroying more lights would draw attention, the lynx decided on an alternate path. Valerie lowered herself until she hung from the bridge. She brought her legs up to the underside of the bridge, putting herself in a fetal position. The lynx then bared her claws and gripped the underside of the bridge with one paw. Once having a firm hold, Valerie gripped her other paw it and was now completely under the bridge on all fours gripping the wood.

She nervously took a deep breath. "Okay, you can do this. Nice and easy."

The lynx carefully moved forward one paw after another, slowly crawling towards the residence. Her first movements caused the bridge to sway, frightening Valerie and strengthening her grip. Once the bridge became still again, the lynx continued the perilous trek one paw at a time. The paws soon moved in sync and the pace increased slightly. Being a feline helped the lynx maintain a strong grip on the wooden planks with her claws. As Valerie got closer, more guards were seen patrolling the area in her eagle vision. She was very careful to not draw attention from causing too much movement on the bridge. Valerie finally arrived at the other end and assessed the situation through eagle vision once more.

"I need to disable the power to move freely. The blackout should give me enough time before the backup generator kicks in."

After determining the patrols' patterns, Valerie climbed up and sneaked around the residence in search of the circuit box while scouting for possible entrances and dealing with the guards. Once located, she disabled the power, making it appear as an accident. The blackout occurred and confusion reigned. Seizing the opportunity, Valerie searched for the nearest entry point and found the back entrance.

Naturally, the door was locked. Valerie sighed and took out two lock picks from the case. She quickly worked at picking the lock. After a few frustrating tries and broken picks, Valerie succeeded and entered the residence. After closing the door behind her, she sneaked to Wesley's personal study knowing it's the best place to search for information. The residence turned out to be a mansion on the inside with various furniture and objects one would normally find in a mansion.

"Really wonder how much of this was legit." The lynx quickly pushed the thought aside. "I must get there before the power returns." She grunted. "It didn't help that I wasted time picking the lock."

Despite the power failure, Valerie remained stealthy and avoided leaving her presence behind. She encountered a few guards and either sneaked by or incapacitated them. Fortunately, most of their attention was diverted to restoring the power. Valerie checked every room until finally arriving at the one she was looking for. Once again, the door was locked, and once again, she picked the lock but was much quicker this time and without breaking any picks.

"Let's see what Mr. Hart is hiding."

Inside after locking the door, Valerie searched for any information regarding the robberies at the Bank of Zootopia until her eyes met with the computer on the desk.

"Jackpot!"

She rushed to the computer to press the power button when she realized something.

"Right, the computer needs power to turn on. Let's see what else I can find until the power returns."

Valerie used eagle vision while searching the desk for anything of interest. The lynx came across a desk calendar with a date marked. Knowing it must be important; she took a photo of it with her phone before moving on. During the search, Valerie came across a file that was labeled bank operations and scanned through them. It contained reports and other important documents.

"Bingo! These must be the large withdrawals from the different branches of the bank mentioned."

Having very little time, she took pictures of the file's contents for later analysis. The power suddenly came back on as soon as she put the file away.

"Now to see what's on the computer."

Valerie powered it up and a locked screen appeared. She took a deep breath.

"Okay, you can do this. This shouldn't be too hard."

She knelt down by the system unit and took out the Exterior Pro with the USB cord connected. Valerie inserted the cord into the system unit and turned on the tablet. A prompt appeared asking to proceed with the hacking program. Valerie confirmed the action and watched the hack in progress. A few seconds later, the password was retrieved and to her relief, she could type it in from the device.

The lynx finally gained access and search through the contents. With the power restored, Valerie was under more pressure to get the necessary information before the guards discover her. Through the Exterior Pro, she located all the files related to the Bank of Zootopia and copied them to the tablet. Luckily, Riley made sure there was enough space in the device.

"And for good measure."

Valerie located the cameras and disabled them. After finishing the search, she returned everything the way it was and erased her presence.

"Now to leave before they discover me."

With the power restored, Valerie was more careful since it was now easier to be detected. She saw a window in the room and quietly escaped through it. The lynx found herself a few stories high when hanging from the pane. Her actions in disabling the cameras had not gone unnoticed and as a result, the whole residence was put on high alert. After carefully climbing down to the ground, Valerie retraced her steps to the bridge but her progress was significantly slowed from her actions. The lynx finally neared the bridge and after confirming no one else to be around, crossed it from the underside. She was thankful the wolves from her first encounter were not back at their posts.

Once safely on the other side, Valerie fled back to the insertion point and changed out of the outfit. While waiting to be picked up, she saw a Snarlbucks nearby and decided to rest up and look through the information recovered there. What the lynx discovered left her aghast.

"Unbelievable! This is straight up embezzlement of Zootopia's money. They will not get away with this!"

* * *

Riley Lucius reviewed the information in the case file before proceeding. The shipment is to come in at the ports and stored away in a warehouse before being moved.

"If I can locate the ship before the contents are unloaded, I can save time from searching. If not, I'll just confirm the contents at the warehouse." He shook his head. "Easier said than done."

Riley put away the file and departed for the shipping yard. He only carried a case of lock picks for emergency. In actuality, the lynx was using this investigation to field-test new equipment. Riley soon arrived at the shipping yard but his view was blocked by the large containers.

"I need to a get bird's eye view before proceeding."

He entered the shipyard looking for a viewpoint until a crane caught his sight.

"Perfect."

Riley hurried over to the machinery and stood before the tall structure. He looked up to the very top before smiling.

"I could climb up there," He raised his paw and aimed it at the top of the crane. "Or I can take the expressway."

He flicked his paw downward and a rope shot out from the brace. A hook was attached to the front of the rope and it connected with the top of the crane. Once the rope was secure, Riley flicked the wrist downward again and the lynx was pulled upwards. Riley sped up the ascent by jumping upwards every time his feet made contact with the crane. He reached the top of the crane and recovered the hook. The lynx then took out his notebook and turned to the page containing a checklist where he made a note.

"Rope Launcher Ascension: success."

He carefully crossed the horizontal beam to the edge of the crane. There, Riley got an excellent view of the shipping yard from his position. The ship in question was seen coming into port.

"I need to get there quick if I want to gather the evidence."

Riley surveyed the immediate area for a quick descent. The only things nearby were shipping containers.

"It's not ideal, but hey 'Try Everything'."

Riley shot the rope at the nearest shipping container, firing a little upwards to compensate for the drop in height from his location. The hook attached itself to the container and Riley made sure it was secured. He removed the rope from the launcher and secured it to the crane, creating a zip line. Riley hung from the crane and moved over to the zip line. The lynx took a deep breath as he grabbed onto the zip line. It jerked downwards for a split-second before tensing up again. Riley let out a huge sigh of relief as the line held his weight. But he knew it wouldn't last long so the lynx quickly traversed to the other end using both paws to push forward. The decline of the path greatly assisted the process as Riley slid down the zip line for a split second between shuffling paws. Three-fourths of the way there, the line started to become unstable.

"Not good!"

Riley hurried to the other end as he slowly lost altitude.

"Almost there…"

SNAP!

The black lynx found himself swinging rapidly toward the shipping container.

"GAH!"

Riley braced himself as he collided with the shipping container causing him to release the line and loosen the hook. He landed flat on his back with the hook barely missing the lynx's head.

The lynx groaned as he sat up. "I'm going to feel that in the morning."

Riley retrieved the hook and wound up the rope, before inserting back into the brace. He then took out the checklist and reported the result.

"Rope Launcher Zip Line: Increase tensile strength of rope or change material, and add a second securing to the brace end. Ow."

Fortunately, the remaining descent was made easier with the pyramid arrangement of the containers. Once on the ground, Riley proceeded in the general direction of the ship. Getting there was easy because few mammals were around for Riley to encounter. But that changed as he got closer to his destination and was forced to move through the maze of shipments. The sound of mammals and machinery were clearly heard. From the cover of the container, Riley poked his head out to survey the area with eagle vision.

"That's a freaking convention out there…"

Yard workers and Templar forces occupied the area as they prepared to unload the cargo from the recently docked ship.

"No way can I investigate without getting caught. I'll have to do it when the cargo reaches the warehouse."

Riley saw the warehouse across from his position along with various vehicles and obstacles in the path to the structure. He grinned at the sight.

"Convenient. Now to clear the way."

After pulling the hood over, the lynx took out a small red ball with a string attached and searched for a spot to throw it, preferably away from his planned direction. When Riley found the perfect spot, he pulled the string and quickly tossed the ball. The red small soared through the air until it landed unnoticed on the asphalt away from everyone else. A few seconds later, the red ball exploded and unleashed tiny explosions and a short, high-pitch noise. All within hearing range immediately turned their attention to the noise and hurried over to investigate. At the location, they see the powdered and shell remains surrounding a ring imprint.

"Darn kids playing with firecrackers!" A worker said.

"Search the area to make sure they're still not around!" A Templar officer ordered.

Meanwhile, Riley stood within the shadows of the warehouse while taking deep breaths, having made a dash for the structure. He then took out his notebook and made another note.

"Cherry Bomb: success."

Riley put the notebook away and looked above to see an entry point. Standing under the spot, the lynx shot the rope launcher upwards. The hook hit its mark and Riley scaled up the entry point. Hanging from it, he checked for any footing and found a catwalk below that was a short drop away. At the sound of the doors opening, the lynx vaulted through the entry onto the catwalk. The sound of him landing was muffled by the large doors opening. Riley hurried over and perched himself near the entrance. From his position, the lynx watched the crew of the ship along with everyone else at the port move the cargo into the storehouse. Unfortunately, there was more cargo than expected.

"Great, I should have known they would do that." He sighed. "No matter. One of them must contain the suspected cargo."

After the doors closed, Riley assessed the situation. Naturally, Templar forces were left to guard the shipment but not near the specific one.

"Cause that would be too easy right?"

Because of the enclosed area, Riley was cautious in clearing the warehouse. Using the various cargo as cover, the lynx carefully lured the Templar forces away from the others and incapacitated them. He refrained from using more bombs temporarily because they would connect that to the earlier disturbance. When the numbers became fewer, Riley became bolder in his approach but remained cautious. Soon, the lynx was the only conscious soul in the warehouse with the bodies hidden. With the opposition eliminated, Riley began his search. At the first containment, he picked the lock and opened the doors to see its contents.

"Nope."

He closed the doors and moved onto the next one. Every container he searched so far failed to yield anything related to the investigation. At the next one he opened, the contents finally caught his interest.

"Hello, what do we have here?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

Inside the container were crates containing various items: weapons, uniforms, sets of tires, and technology. Riley immediately took pictures of the contents. One crate, in particular, caught his attention. Inside were name tags with various names and pictures of mammals. Their purpose sealed the deal.

"The Bank of Zootopia. There is no doubt over who is responsible."

Riley took many photos of this particular crate. Just after finishing his sweep and closing the doors, the main doors to the warehouse opened forcing the lynx to hide. Riley waited patiently and eavesdropped on them.

"Where is everyone?" The Templar officer shouted. "They are supposed to be guarding the shipment!"

"Sir, you need to see this!"

The officer checked with the subordinate and discovered the unconscious mammal. "We have an intruder! What's his status?"

The subordinate checked the mammal. "Alive but unconscious."

"Spread out and find the trespasser!" He had a strong suspicion it was the Assassin, but without their tale, he had no proof.

The Templar forces immediately separated and searched the warehouse.

Meanwhile, Riley was sneaking to the window during the conversation. He reached the wall just when they began their search. The lynx took stock of the current situation.

"There's no way I can get up there without being spotted. Time for another field test."

The lynx took out a softball size black ball. After locating a spot, Riley pulled the string and tossed it. Because of its size, the black ball made noise when it hit the ground and rolled. A few seconds later, a large explosion occurred and the noise thundered throughout the storehouse. All attention was immediately turned to the explosion. At the sound of the explosion, Riley shot the rope launcher to the roof and immediately scaled up to the window. Once there, he detached the rope and vaulted out. Bracing himself for the impact, the lynx fell to the ground and rolled a short distance.

"Good thing I'm a feline." He muttered. "Otherwise that would have been very painful."

"Hey, I heard something fall outside!"

Riley rolled his eyes. "Great…"

To buy some time, Riley took out a baseball size blue ball and just threw it this time. The lynx took off running just when the mammals turned the corner and the blue ball impacted the ground. The blue ball exploded and released a field of electricity that electrocuted those within the radius and caused the others to back off. The electricity wasn't fatal but by the time it dissipated, Riley disappeared.

The lynx ran as fast as possible out of the area, knowing the Templar forces would give chase. Riley finally reached the area with the crane, stopping only briefly to pull off the hood. He continued on until safely away from the shipyard's perimeters where Riley ceased running and slowed to a walk, finally catching his breath. When he reached the insertion point, the lynx took out the notebook and turned to the checklist.

"Thunder Bomb: Success. Voltaic Bomb: Success. Overall field-testing: major success."

After his breathing returned to normal, Riley changed back into casual attire and waited for the limo to pick him up. In the meantime, he went over his findings to get a head start on the report.

* * *

Nick Wilde scanned the information from the case file given to him while in the limo. Wesley Hart's assistant lives alone in a protected residence as a result of Riley's assassinations. A picture showed the place to be a villa with security protecting the area.

"Quite a place for a personal assistant. I'm sure your boss Mr. Hart played a major role in acquiring it." Nick shook his head. "And here I thought I could walk in and have a nice conversation."

He then checked to see the gadgets given to him: a case of lock picks and a jamming device to hide from the security system. While not the fancy equipment he hoped for, they were still better than nothing. Luckily for him and Judy, they always carried a pair of handcuffs with their badges just in case. Nick realized it would help to record any confession the assistant would make. He reached into his pocket and smiled when pulling out a familiar carrot pen.

"Riley really is relying on my hustling to succeed. Manchas!"

Manchas lowered the window divider and looked up in the rearview mirror. "Yes?"

"Can you take me to this address?" Nick gave Manchas the address to the assistant's residence.

"Yes, Mr. Wilde."

"Thank you. Let me know when we're close."

"Of course."

On the way, Nick took the time to work the jamming device and find the perfect place to put it on him. He also planned for the possibility of bringing the assistant to Mr. Big until Manchas' voice brought him out of his thinking.

"Mr. Wilde, we are nearly at your destination."

They see the villa was in sight.

"Stop right here."

Manchas obeyed.

Nick got out of the limo and walked to the driver's window. "Wait here until I return. I may come back with a passenger so let me give you a tip for this." He reached into his pockets.

Manchas shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Your friend Riley already paid me well for the entire trip and I am doing this as a reward to you and Miss Hopps for saving me."

Nick nodded. "It's no trouble. Thank you."

"Stay safe."

He proceeded to the villa and took a low profile once in close range. Nick concentrated his thoughts until eagle vision activated. Possible entrances could be seen and enemies were highlighted in red. To his surprise, enemies were still marked if they were hidden when exiting eagle vision. The fox felt like a kit on Christmas morning with his tail wagging in excitement.

"I can tag enemies!?" A wide grin grew on the fox's face. "Wow, where was this when I was hustling? I'm going to have so much fun with this. Like it or not Carrots."

With a better outlook, Nick pulled the hood over and sneaked onto the property. Because of the snow on the ground, he was careful in moving to avoid being tracked from his footprints. This also made it difficult to incapacitate guards out in the open so Nick lured them to his location and knocked them out instead. Knowing the front entrance is out of the question, the fox decided to enter the residence from either the side or back entrance.

Using eagle vision, Nick looked around for a yellow-highlighted entrance. While in the backyard, he heard the back door opening and quickly hid near it. This was an opportunity Nick will not waste. When someone finally came out, he immediately identified the mammal with his Sense. To Nick's fortune, it was the woodchuck assistant from the yellow glow. Smirking, the fox readied his air rifle with a sleeping dart and took aim at the woodchuck.

"Goodnight."

He fired the rifle and the woodchuck instantly fell face first to the ground unconscious from the sleep dart. Knowing its short effects, Nick rushed over to extend the woodchuck's sleep. But the fox felt something familiar when tending to the unconscious assistant. It was only he turned the woodchuck face up that it dawned on Nick. A flood of emotions engulfed Nick and his breathing became heavy. It was the same woodchuck from the Junior Ranger Scouts who muzzled him for being a fox. Nick froze in horror as flashbacks of the incident occupied his mind: the muzzle, the humiliation, the tears. The emotions soon changed to anger causing him to let out a low snarl and bare his teeth. Before realizing it, Nick felt his paw reach for the taser. The next thing he knew the weapon was in his paws and set to the maximum voltage.

There are three worst case scenarios Nicholas Piberius Wilde feared the most because it would break down the wall and let his emotions run free. First was encountering those same Junior Ranger Scouts again and wondering their reaction to seeing him again and being a cop. The second was seeing his family harmed or disgraced. Lastly, but most important to him was losing his partner and best friend, Judy Hopps forever. Any combination would only increase the magnitude of pain and lessen his self-control. The first though paled in comparison the second and third nonetheless.

Under normal circumstances, Nick always had the benefit of his friends and family to intervene in these scenarios. Now, none of his friends were around and the sound of electricity was heard. The unconscious woodchuck was suddenly awakened by a large volt of electricity surging through his body. The assistant convulsed for a few seconds before losing consciousness again. Still filled with rage and breathing heavily, Nick stood over the unconscious woodchuck with the taser in paw. When the fox finally realized his actions, his eyes widened in terror and he dropped to his knees, placing his paws on his head and breathing frantically.

"What have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"

Nick quickly checked the woodchuck's pulse and was relieved to feel it. He quickly calmed down and handcuffed the woodchuck. It took every ounce of Nick to not lash out further, knowing he had a mission to accomplish. But he was in no condition to conduct a proper interrogation at the moment so Nick resorted to the other option. Now tasked with bringing assistant back to the limo, the fox cleared the path out of the villa while carrying the woodchuck. Knowing the short window, Nick hurried before the woodchuck was discovered missing. He arrived safely back at the limo and tossed the woodchuck into the vehicle before entering himself.

"To Mr. Big's now!"

Noticing the drastic change in the tone of voice, Manchas didn't question him and quickly left the residence before anyone else noticed the assistant missing. The silence in the limo concerned Manchas so he finally found the courage to speak.

"Is everything all right Mr. Wilde? You seem distressed."

Nick was still trying to control his emotions. "Yes, Manchas. Just feeling the adrenaline from the escape."

Sensing that Nick wished not to discuss the matter, Manchas ceased further questioning. "Very well, I am available if you need an ear."

The limo ride was silent again as Nick stared at the unconscious, woodchuck lying on the floor of the limo before him. He took deep breaths and reminded himself of his mantra. _Never let them see that they get to you._ The woodchuck must not see him in his current distressed state. After finally gaining control of his emotions, Nick called Mr. Big to inform him of his arrival and intentions. He requested to speak to him directly after getting Koslov instead. Moments later, Mr. Big finally came on the phone.

"Hello Nicky, what is it that you need?"

"Mr. Big, I have someone here who is working with the Templars. I'm bringing him to you to prevent him from escaping or calling help."

"Interesting, what are your plans for him once here?"

"I need him to make a confession. I will ask nicely first before going a step further. If not, you can take over from there. I'm sure you have some business to settle."

"I'll be glad to be of assistance. We'll be waiting for you."

"Thank you. And one more thing, do not use my name when we meet. We don't want this mammal bringing us unnecessary attention because he finds out who I am."

"I appreciate the warning. I will see you and your companion in my office shortly."

When Nick ended the call, the woodchuck woke up to find himself handcuffed and lying on the floor of a limo.

"Where am I?"

His vision was blurry initially from suffering a large voltage but soon became clear. The woodchuck saw a robed mammal sitting in front of him. While the hood covered the eyes, the snout gave away that it was a fox. But it was the appearance that caused the woodchuck to become frightened and he struggled against his bonds.

"Now I'd calm down if I were you," Nick said while smirking. "You can do little at this moment."

"I knew it! I knew the White Feather Killer was a fox!"

Nick reclined with his arms crossed. "Wow, clearly you haven't been watching the news recently. From what I've seen, the killer does not have a snout Bucky."

"My name is not Bucky!"

"Don't care. That's what I'm calling you. As for this," He pointed to the Assassin robes. "Do you really think just because my attire is similar to the killer means I'm actually it? Have you considered where we are? I could be wearing this to protect myself from the cold."

The assistant continued to struggle. "What do you want from me and where are we going?"

"Those questions will be answered once we reach our destination Bucky."

The woodchuck ceased further struggle. "Please, I don't want any trouble."

Nick leaned in closer and spoke in a menacing tone. "Neither do I. As long as you cooperate, there won't be any trouble."

The woodchuck continued to beg for an explanation or his release. Nick continued to either ignore or dodge the question. He wanted to say and do so many things to the woodchuck but decided against it. In the end, Nick realized he would be no different from him had he actually said or carried out those thoughts. The limo arrived at Mr. Big's estate and the polar bear at the entrance let them through. When Nick stepped out of the limo with the woodchuck in his grip, the assistant recognized their location.

"Wait, you know Mr. Big?"

"That's right. He's a good friend of mine. If you don't cooperate, then I'm afraid I will have to ask for his assistance. For the record, Mr. Big is not happy with your boss and his colleagues right now."

"I'm just an assistant! I had nothing to do with what my boss did to Mr. Big." He pleaded.

"So you do admit to that." Nick could only imagine how dreadful the assistant became from the confession. "Ultimately, his decision. I just need to know more about your boss."

The woodchuck remained silent as Nick escorted him to the front entrance. There, two polar bears stood outside the front door waiting for them.

"I'll let you two take over," Nick said. "Make sure he doesn't try to escape."

They nodded and Nick handed the woodchuck over. The polar bears immediately stood behind the woodchuck. Together, they entered the estate and go to Mr. Big's office. Inside the room, the arctic shrew and his other polar bear guards were waiting for him. Nick casually entered while the polar bears pushed the woodchuck in. The two stood before the crime boss.

"Good to see you again my friend." Mr. Big said.

"Always a pleasure." Nick bowed in respect.

He pointed to the woodchuck. "Is this the mammal?"

The woodchuck cowered a little when brought attention to.

"Yes, let me speak to him first. I'll let you know when you can take over."

Mr. Big nodded. "Very well."

Nick then stood in front the woodchuck. "If I were you, I'd start talking lest you suffer the consequences."

The woodchuck remained silent so Nick took it as an agreement

"Good." He put his paws in his pockets and clicked a button. "Now I know your boss, Wesley Hart is providing funds to some colleagues of his. My question is where are the funds coming from?"

The woodchuck huffed. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't try to talk your way out of this. I have information about your dealings with Hart." Nick took the file out and read a section. "According to your profile, your job is to handle business and personal matters for Hart and that your account receives a large amount of money every fiscal quarter along with your regular pay." He then closed the file. "Now I could care less about your job description, but what I do care about is you receiving large extra amounts of money with your pay."

"I get a bonus for doing a superior job." The woodchuck reasoned. "What's wrong with that?"

"The thing is…bonuses are normal once in a while, a year at minimum or with quick promotions. You've been getting a bonus every few months for quite a while now. It does explain why you have such a fancy place and high security."

"Where are you even going with this?"

"Like I said before, I want to know where the money is coming from."

"I'm not telling you anything, especially to a _fox_!"

It was definitely the same woodchuck. Every fiber of Nick wanted to strike out, but that would be breaking his mantra and the mission was too important to let his feelings get in the way. Nick took a deep breath before responding.

"Okay, I didn't want to have to do this. This is your last chance."

"I don't care what happens. You can intimidate me all you want. Wesley Hart will eventually know I am missing and investigate. Mr. Big is nothing compared to him."

"Why don't you tell him yourself then?"

Nick stepped away and the polar bears pushed the assistant closer to Mr. Big with a low growl. The woodchuck did his best to appear stern as the arctic shrew glared at him, but Nick saw right through his act.

"You some nerve insulting my friend here. Try saying that same thing to me. I dare you."

The woodchuck stood defiantly as his eyes met with Mr. Big but words failed him.

"I thought so. Do you actually think you could get away with threatening me?"

"Wesley Hart has influence all over Zootopia. You only have influence in Tundratown."

"True, and to be honest, I normally would not care for such matters, but your boss made the mistake of attacking my family. Things would be different if it was only me."

"I was only following orders in setting things up!" The woodchuck pleaded. "I had no idea they would do this. I'm merely an associate."

"So is my daughter and granddaughter, yet they were nearly victims of the last attack. I will show your boss what happens when you attack my family."

"And you think my boss will react kindly to this?"

"That is why I am giving you one chance to tell my friend here any information he needs for so you can live."

"I'm not saying anything!" He said defiantly.

"Very well, ice him! _Slowly_."

The polar bears removed the cover to the cryonic torture chamber and held the woodchuck over it. The woodchuck's facade immediately vanished as he was slowly lowered. The assistant frantically tried to break free from the bear's grip.

"You think this is will make me talk?" The woodchuck said, trying to hide his fear.

"You're already showing desperation." Mr. Big said. "Last chance to speak or I will give the order. This time it will be quick."

"Even if you did, I told you before Hart will know what happened."

"Yes, but the difference is you get to live another day under my protection. I prefer not to do this but you leave me no choice."

The polar bear continued to slowly lower the woodchuck into the chamber. The assistant found out the hard way what Mr. Big meant by slowly as the polar bear holding him went prone to lower all of the woodchuck in the freezing chamber. Inches above the icy fate, the assistant soon realized that one false move and he could accidentally get himself iced.

"Okay! Okay! I'll talk!"

"Wise decision."

The polar bears raised him out of the chamber and closed it. They set down the assistant in front of Nick and Mr. Big with their paws still on his shoulders in case Mr. Big gave any further order. The woodchuck revealed the origins of the money and confessed all he knew. All the while, Nick recorded the confession with the carrot pen. The information was stunning from the details being spoken.

"Is that everything?" Mr. Big asked.

"Yes, that's all I know. Please, don't put me back in there!" He pleaded.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Nick said, leaning forward to the woodchuck.

"So are you going to let me go now?"

"About that, I can't risk having you run to your boss and telling him about this."

The woodchuck's fear soon returned. "Then what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Nick motioned to Mr. Big. "That's for him to decide."

The woodchuck's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "But…but…"

"Relax. Mr. Big is actually very friendly once you get to know him." Nick then faced Mr. Big. "He's all yours. Although try to avoid icing him until you hear news about Mr. Hart's _departure_. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Believe me. I didn't want to at first but I had no choice."

"You are welcome my friend and there is no issue with you requesting my services. I promise to take good care of him."

With that, Nick nodded and casually left the woodchuck alone with the arctic shrew and his polar bears. On the way out, he pulled out the carrot pen and replayed the recording while smiling victoriously. "Riley might have to do some editing later." Nick pocketed the pen and returned to the limo. Once inside, he pulled off the hood and breathed a huge sigh of relief as the fox collapsed on the seats.

"Have you finished your business here?" Manchas asked.

"Yes, we can leave now."

Manchas nodded. "Shall we pick up your friends?"

"Hmm, yes, I think they should be done right about now."

"Where should we go first?"

Nick made himself comfortable. "Rainforest District."

* * *

 **-Longest chapter I've written so far and I have to admit it was challenging to write the individual missions while maintaining character. What I did is wrote them all from an expert level and then adjusted accordingly. For Riley, I wanted to show that he is a regular mammal like everyone else in Zootopia and not some supermammal. Just an individual with twenty years of physical and mental training.**

 **-Wanted to add realistic elements with the rope launcher while still keeping the game elements.**

 **-I do try to bring elements from the main games in this story. The reason for Syndicate being more frequent is...how do I put this. IMO, it's closest to a modern setting when compared to the world of Zootopia.**

 **-In response to a guest review about Judy and Nick's eagle vision, I gave them along with the lynxes a variation from the main series. Judy=Black Flag. Nick=Syndicate. Valerie=Unity. Riley=Revelations. The reason Riley's is different from Valerie's despite the relation is because he acquired his naturally and developed it over the years while his sister acquired hers recently from the Animus. Should they both acquire it at the same time, yes theirs would have been the same.**

 **Cherry Bomb=Unity/Revelations**

 **Thunder Bomb=Revelations**

 **Voltaic Bomb=Syndicate**


	18. Arsenal

**Happy Halloween! This is my treat to my followers and the readers!**

 **3/4/17: This is not a new chapter! The next one is!**

* * *

 _Rainforest District_

The limo arrived at the location to pick up Valerie but the white lynx was nowhere in sight. Before arriving at their destinations, it was agreed they would be picked up from where they were dropped off once the mission was complete. Nick wondered if Valerie went into hiding for her own safety. Despite the Templars not having her information temporarily, her physical appearance still makes her stick out.

"Manchas, why don't you drive around while I search for her?"

"Excellent idea, Mr. Wilde. I will continue to drive by until I see the two of you."

"Thank you."

Nick exited the limo and Manchas drove off. The first thing the fox did was use Eagle Vision to pick up Valerie's presence. While scanning the area, faint tracks were spotted near an alley.

Nick grinned in satisfaction. "I'll never lose that excitement from using this."

He strolled to the alley with the Sense still active. As Nick got closer, more details became known. At the spot, Nick couldn't help chuckling when the trail led to the Snarlbucks across the street.

"I'd do the same thing too if given the choice."

Nick sprinted to the Snarlbucks, deactivating his gift in the process, and entered the coffee shop. Taking advantage of Eagle Vision once more, Nick searched for Valerie and found her sitting alone at a table, looking at a tablet. He noticed a drink and a bag covered in crumbs while approaching her. The smell gave away their identities: iced coffee and a cinnamon bun.

"Pretty bold of you to be in public like this."

Valerie looked up from the table to see Nick standing before her with a smirk.

She returned the gesture and pointed to her eyes. "I have the method of protecting myself."

Nick nodded. "I see. Enjoyed your drink and treat?"

She reclined in the seat with her arms crossed. "As a matter of fact, I did. Though these aren't alleviating the shock and disbelief I've been feeling from reading my findings." Valerie said, pointing to the tablet.

"I can only assume the worse?"

The white lynx nodded.

"Yikes, I bet mines are the same."

"Save it for Riley when he asks for a report."

Nick groaned and raised his muzzle at the dreaded word. "Even on days off, I can't escape doing reports. I might get myself something just to forget all this for a moment. Maybe for Carrots as well."

Valerie closed the tablet and gathered her trash. "Go on. I'm getting for my brother also. He'll definitely need it from spending time in Sahara Square. You want me to pay for yours and Judy's?"

Nick shook his head. "I got it this time."

Minutes later, the two exited Snarlbucks with their drinks and treats. Nick got himself a latte and a blueberry scone and for Judy, a mocha and a carrot muffin. Valerie got her brother a caramel frappuccino and a cheese Danish. Manchas arrived at the coffee shop around the same time. The jaguar stopped in front of them and rolled down the window.

"I see you decided to treat yourselves. Try not to make a mess inside."

"We won't," Valerie promised.

Nick opened the passenger seat and gave a bow. "Ladies first."

Valerie smiled at his gesture. "Such a gentle fox."

She entered the limo and Nick followed suit. Once inside, Manchas lowered the window divider.

"Where to next?"

"Savanna Central," Nick answered. "I'll give you the directions once we're in the area."

"Yes, Mr. Wilde."

The limo drove to its next destination.

"Think you can ask Judy on her location?" Valerie asked. "She'll probably do what I did."

"Already on it," Nick said with his phone out. "You should do the same for Riley."

"Will do."

Valerie then pulled out her phone to text her brother.

* * *

 _Savanna Central_

Once the limo entered the district, Nick gave the directions to Judy's location. The bunny informed the fox earlier that she would be waiting in a park instead. There, at her general location and after finishing his latte and scone, Nick got ready to leave.

"Stay here, Valerie. You'll be safer in the limo than walking out in public with me."

"Not a problem," She said while opening up the tablet. "I need all the time to sift through this information."

"I thought your brother was supposed to do that?"

"Yes, but he's been working extremely hard these past few days. The number of hours he's put into organizing the investigations and presentations concerns me. If there is a chance to alleviate the burden, I want to do so."

"Reminds me of how I am with Judy. I swear that bunny will work herself to death doing police work."

The buzzing from Nick's phone interrupted the conversation.

"That's her. I'll be back soon."

The white lynx acknowledged him as Nick left the limo.

Just as with Valerie, Nick searched for Judy with Eagle Vision on. It helped that the bunny sent a picture of her location from that last notification so time wasn't wasted searching the entire park. In minutes, Nick saw Judy sitting alone on the bench, occupied with her phone. A mischievous smirk grew on his face as a plan formed in his mind.

Nick moved off the path and carefully sneaked towards Judy from behind the bench. The fox slowed his movements and made as little noise as possible or else his plan would be ruined by those accursed hearing of Judy's. Nick succeeded in getting to the bench. He raised his paws, ready to unleash his attack.

"Nice try Slick," Judy said as she turned around to see a stunned fox mid-attack while giving off the widest of smirks. "Did you actually think I would fall for the same thing you did to my ancestor? Next time, don't sneak up on me while on grass. You may be able to keep quiet but they don't. I give you an A for effort."

Nick quickly returned to his normal appearance, trying to salvage the situation. "I was just testing if you inherited anything else from her and you passed with flying colors."

"Uh-huh, sure." She dragged on the last word.

"That's a shame. Because I had a nice reward for you if this was a test."

Judy's ears suddenly went up, giving the reaction Nick was hoping for.

"A reward huh? And what might that be?"

Nick turned to walk away. "A nice caffé mocha and a carrot muffin. But since you denied my earlier move to be a test, I'll just have to give it to either Valerie or Riley. Maybe they like carrots."

Judy immediately left the bench and caught up to Nick. "Hey now, I'll accept this as a test. But only because today left me famished."

She was confused she got a chuckle as a response.

"What's so funny?"

"You see Carrots. I too was giving myself a test."

Judy raised her brow. "And that would be?"

Nick looked at her with a wide grin on his face. "If the saying _The way to a male's heart is through his stomach_ works on females as well."

He winced in pain from receiving a punch to the abdomen.

"Ow! So I'm being punished for doing something nice for you?!" He berated while massaging the afflicted area.

"Nope! In fact, that was very thoughtful of you! But I can't let you get away with that remark."

Nick groaned. "You're no fun."

The two arrived in the parking lot where the limo is. Nick, being courteous, let Judy enter first before he himself did. Judy's eyes fell to the mocha and muffin waiting for her and immediately grabbed the items. Nick and Valerie chuckled as Judy scarfed down the treats.

"Watch yourself there Carrots," Nick warned, still trying to stifle a laugh. "Manchas said to avoid making a mess in the limo."

Judy finally stopped herself and carefully wiped off the crumbs from her face. "Sorry, I haven't had anything since breakfast." She noticed the tablet in Valerie's lap. "Is that yours?"

The white lynx shook her head. "My brother gave it to me for my mission. I used it to hack Mr. Hart's computer and pull all information relating to the Bank of Zootopia."

"That will definitely help build our case against him."

Valerie nodded in agreement.

"What's your brother's status?" Nick asked.

"He says he's done and is waiting for us to pick him up. Riley also said to let him know when we're in the area so he can wait for us at the drop-off."

"Good," Nick said with relief. "It will save us time from looking for him. I don't feel like going out for another search."

"So Sahara Square then?" Manchas asked once hearing where the conversation was going.

"Yes," Valerie answered. "And you can go to the same spot from where you first dropped Riley off. He'll be there."

"Thank you for the information."

* * *

 _Sahara Square_

Riley arrived at the insertion point minutes before the limo arrived, much to the relief of the passengers. As the black lynx entered the limo, he was met with the chilled air of the vehicle. Riley quickly jumped in and proceeded to moderate his body temperature as his friends closed the door.

"Okay, that was a little too cold for my comfort. I blame being in the hottest place in Zootopia for an extended period of time."

After returning his body to normal temperature, Riley saw a caramel frappuccino and a cheese Danish held in front of him.

"You went to a Snarlbucks?"

"I did," Valerie answered. "I couldn't risk getting spotted while waiting outside and the place was the first thing I saw. Thought you could use something refreshing since you were going to be in hot weather. Hope you don't mind that your drink melted a little."

"Not all at all. Thank you." He took the treats and took a bite of the pastry. "So, give me a brief summary. Save the details when it comes time for the report."

Judy, Nick, and Valerie gave summaries on their missions and turned over the information collected with the items given to them or in possession already.

"By the way, I need that carrot pen back. It has sentimental value." Nick said.

Riley nodded in understanding. "No problem. I'm sure you will speak of its history some other time." He finished the pastry and took another sip of the frappuccino. "I assume there is no doubt on who the mastermind behind the robberies?"

Nick scoffed. "As if we already don't have enough corruption in the Zootopia."

"You realize the magnitude of the consequences if you carry out this assassination," Valerie warned. "Not that you couldn't possibly increase your notoriety anymore, but this could be catastrophic for the city and its citizens."

"Better than the alternative."

That was the last straw for Judy. "Okay, I'm going to put my foot down here! You keep saying bad things will happen if the Templars acquire these artifacts. Do you have actual proof of these scenarios?"

"I'm with Carrots on this one," Nick said. "The aftermath of your actions make it difficult for us to understand how this is not worse than the future you keep mentioning."

Riley held up his four-digit paw. "I can give you four examples of that happening on a small scale. Two Assassins. One Templar. One Civilian. Here's a hint for one of the Assassins: Tundratown. You may not understand Valerie but Judy and Nick do."

It didn't take long for the two officers to take the hint.

"Okay, there's that," Judy admitted. "But you mentioned that one doesn't grant powers. We want to know the scenarios with those."

"How about this then," Riley proposed. "You can see it yourself in the Animus. I'll bring up the memories and let you choose from there."

"Wait, I thought you needed a descendant to access those specific memories?" Judy said, now confused on how the Animus works.

"Not if they are already in the database. Let's just say the informant gave the Assassins more than just the blueprints." Riley said, keeping out the important details.

"This should be fun," Nick said, keeping his excitement at bay.

"By the way, I need to take your witness statements for the full report. Just to be more organized."

"Even off-duty, there is no escape police work," Nick repeated, disappointed of his excitement being ruined.

"Technically, it is since your Chief _authorized_ the investigations despite my brother being the one in charge," Valerie said.

"Speaking of the Chief," Judy said. "You know he prefers arresting over your methods. How do you plan on convincing him otherwise?"

Riley deep sighed. "One thing at a time."

* * *

The limo arrived at the alley connecting to Riley's base. As the passengers exited, Riley strolled to the driver's window and knocked on it. The window rolled down immediately.

"Thank you for driving us around, Mr. Manchas."

"You're welcome. Servicing Ms. Hopps, Mr. Wilde, and their friends are always a pleasure for those two saving me. I wish you fortune in stopping this abhorrent scheme."

"You will hear about it soon. Have a wonderful rest of the day."

Manchas nodded and drove off, leaving the four themselves.

Inside, Riley brought up the Animus and searched the database for those specific memories.

"There are three time periods: Third Crusade, Renaissance, and Colonial Times. The Colonial Times is a historical example of the Tundratown incident and it happened twice. Fortunately, the second time was in a sparsely populated area. Unfortunately, the first time caused an Assassin to defect to the Templars so you'll be reliving the memories of the defector."

"That must have been disastrous," Nick stated.

"Disastrous is an understatement. It was one of the biggest blights in the history of the Assassins. An entire branch of the Brotherhood was nearly wiped out. All because in our pursuit to protect the world, we never stopped to ask ourselves if we destroyed it in the process. If you ask me, it was a Dark Age for the Assassin Order with far-reaching consequences.

"Moving on to less depressing topics, the Renaissance involves the Templar and civilian scenarios. Fortunately, the Assassin stopped the Templar from using the Piece of Eden any further. For the civilian, you'll find the situation surprising similar should you choose to explore that.

"Now for the Third Crusade, let me say this. Imagine if Chief Bogo was the mastermind or at least played a role in the Night Howlers. Because that's what happened. I consider it the closest to living under an individual possessing that much power and it frightens me."

"Then reliving those memories should be interesting, if not eye-opening," Nick said.

"The good news is that I implemented the feature where the Animus is user-controlled. The memories are automatically recorded and all I have to do is sift through them. Just a description since these particular memories are already synchronized and recorded. Also, you can stay in there to your delight since these ancestors have no relations to us."

"Yes!" She exclaimed while hopping.

Nick found her response amusing yet surprising. "Who are you and what have you done with Carrots?"

Judy chuckled at her friend's question. "What do you mean?"

"Because outside our time together, the Carrots I know would never be this excited to stay in one place for so long. What gives?"

"I can stay in one place if I want to as long as there's something to keep me occupied," Judy retorted. "The Animus allows me to move around while staying in one place."

"I can tell. Do you think Carrots can come here whenever she has to recover from her injuries?"

"I assume she has a history of refusing to rest?" Valerie speculated.

"You have no idea." He was then elbowed in the stomach immediately.

"Quiet!"

"Alright then," Riley said, wanting to defuse the situation. "There's one more thing to do. If you follow me,"

He got up from the Animus and walked over to the training area. Riley led them to the workbench where a number of braces were laid out.

"Because I didn't want to leave two of you with nothing to do, I'm opening up access to the training area. Valerie, since you will be an Assassin for the time being and caught up with your basic training, it's time to be familiar with our equipment." He pointed to the workbench.

"These are the different types of hidden blades the Assassins developed over the years. For the purpose of demonstration, they have only one feature. You can combine them with your issued ones when you find your preferences. Now for the demonstration,"

He retrieved two from the workbench and put them on. Riley raised his right paw and activated the blade. "First, you have the standard blade. Nowadays it's custom for Assassins to have two. Of course, that depends on the features you pick for the brace."

He retracted them. "For this next one, I'm going to need help with moving that cushion." Riley pointed to the object lying up against the wall.

The others nodded and helped move the object to the workbench where Riley then stood on it.

"What do we need that for?" Valerie asked.

Her brother grinned and raised one paw to the ceiling. "Going up."

He flicked his paw and a rope shot up to the ceiling. Before the others could ask, Riley was suddenly jerked upwards to the ceiling with their gazes following. A few seconds later, the black lynx landed safely on the cushion.

"What do you think?" He said with a smirk on.

Judy, Nick, and Valerie were speechless with their jaws dropped.

"Rope Launcher: helps when you need a quick getaway or another path. It can also function as a zip line, but that feature needs some improvement after some _field-testing_. Try to avoid the zip line unless necessary if you decide to use the rope launcher."

"It's just like that bat superhero," Nick said, pointing out the similarity.

Riley chuckled. "That was my first thought when testing." He inserted a blade on the left brace and pulled back, revealing the bow-like feature. "Judy, Nick, I'm sure this one is familiar to you." The black lynx aimed at the dummy nearby and fired the blade at it.

"I remember," Judy said, recalling the encounter. "You were so quick with it that we didn't even see the blade."

"That's why it's called the Phantom Blade. Unfortunately, the weapon takes the place of the blade so you'll only have one."

"Can you use real mini-arrows?" Nick curiously asked.

"Probably with the right modifications." He switched those out with two others. "Now this one will definitely catch the interest of the ZPD."

He aimed with his left paw and placed his right on top. Riley pressed a button and a faint noise was heard. The others looked at the dummy and saw a dart sticking from it. Judy and Nick, in particular, saw the potential Riley mentioned.

"A hidden tranquilizer," Nick said with a grin. "I can definitely see that in service if the ZPD get possession of the plans."

"Is it one shot or a clip?" Valerie asked.

"Clip: up to five darts."

"Wait," Judy said, having a thought. "What was the point of the air rifles when you had this?"

"Simple. The dart feature was developed by the Assassins while the air rifle was already built when it was incorporated. Just as you do with police weapons, I'm not issuing Assassin weapons to nonmembers."

"Fair point," Judy conceded. "I don't suppose those can fire taser darts too?"

A smirk appeared on Riley's face. "Funny you should mention that." He raised his right paw.

"You have one that can do that?" Nick asked. His curiosity peaked.

"Not like taser guns,"

With a flick of the wrist, two blades appeared instead of one. Then, electricity buzzed between the blades as it traveled between them. The officers were shocked (no pun intended) and left speechless at the display before Riley deactivated it. "Taser blade."

"I may skip out on that one for the time being," Valerie said hesitantly. "Don't want to accidentally electrocute myself."

"This is only a prototype, but there is a report of its success in the field. The difficult part in modifying it to fire darts is setting it up on the brace. Since this is designed to kill instead of stun, I doubt this will be in service by the police without the necessary modifications."

Riley retrieved a few items from the table.

"Put these on since we're in enclosed area."

He held out earplugs in his paw. It didn't take long for it to dawn on them what Riley was going to demonstrate next. They took the earplugs and put them on with Riley doing so as well. The black lynx raised his left arm at the dummy with his right paw on it. He then performed a loading motion.

BANG!

His left arm jerked backward as a bright flash and loud sound escaped from the end of it. The sight and close proximity caused Judy to flinch.

"SWEET CHEESE AND CRACKERS!"

"So it's a firearm too!" Nick exclaimed while amazed at the Assassins' arsenal.

"This has been around for five hundred years, but I built it after our encounter with the Templars in the Rainforest District. I am aware that only a selected number are permitted to carry firearms legally in Zootopia. But if those particular forces are encountered again, the field must at least be evened."

"All that just for peace and order," Valerie said while shaking her head in disgust.

"Are there any other features?" Nick asked.

"This is as far as our research goes for projectiles. But there are also blade features." He replaced the braces once more.

"These have multiple purposes." He raised his left paw and activated the blade. "This first one can function as a normal hidden blade," With the flick of the wrist, the blade extended and turned horizontal. "Or as a switchblade. It's called the pivot blade."

"I was wondering if it could do that," Nick said.

"This one is called the Hookblade," He said while displaying the said blade that had a noticeable hook. "The name is self-explanatory. I'm going to need Valerie's assistance for the demonstration. Sorry sis, you're the only one here of my size that will make this work."

Valerie sighed at being used as a test subject. "Just don't hurt me too bad."

"I promise. Now stand right there." Riley pointed to a spot a short distance from the cushion.

Valerie obeyed and watched Riley stand a few feet from her. "Ready?"

Valerie nodded. "Ready."

"Judy and Nick, this should also be familiar to you. It's called the Hook and Run."

Riley sprinted towards Valerie. Just before reaching her, he activated the hook blade. Valerie braced herself for the impact. In a flash, Riley latched the hook blade onto Valerie's blouse and pulled her down slightly. He then vaulted himself over her and onto the cushion.

From the officers' point of view, the realization hit them.

"That's like how you got over the line of police!" Judy said. "But we saw you use your umbrella."

"I actually wore this at the time in anticipation for an escape or confrontation. But the effectiveness of the Hook and Run depends on the clothing of the target. The heavy gear present would have slowed me down. That's why I used the umbrella instead."

"Is that all?" Valerie asked, hoping she wouldn't be used as a test subject further.

"Just one more. This one is a little rougher, but the cushion will soften the impact."

Valerie groaned when she heard the word impact. "Great."

"I promise again this won't hurt. Just relax and remain still."

The two returned to their original positions. Riley sprinted towards Valerie once again and performed the same maneuver. This time the hook blade was still latched onto her when he landed. Riley then pulled Valerie over him onto the cushion, causing her to yelp in surprise. The white lynx landed on the cushion, feeling a little winded.

"You said it wasn't going to be rough!" Valerie yelled, angry at the result.

"Sorry, force of habit," Her brother said apologetically. "Anyways, that's basically it for the braces."

"What about those balls on the table?" Nick asked.

Riley looked and saw where Nick was pointing.

"Oh, those are the bombs I use."

Judy became alarmed when she heard that. "What kind of bombs exactly?" Her concern was justified given hers and Nick's history in dealing with criminals who used explosives for harm, damage, or escape.

Riley quickly noticed her reaction and assured the bunny. "The ones that disorient or stun. Like I said, I take a more professional approach."

She slowly relaxed. "I assume those are off limits to non-Assassins."

"Aside from the smoke bombs and the red cherry bombs, the black and blues ones are too dangerous in this environment and for bigger threats. Those are still in the prototype stage and more powerful. Cherry bombs are common so I'm not too concerned about its effects. But I can make an exception for the braces this time. Now, these are the three options available to pass the time: equipment training, Animus session, and oral report."

"Well I know what I'm doing," Valerie said while getting up from the cushion and walking to the workbench.

"That leaves the Animus session and the oral report between the two of you."

"Dibs on the Animus!" Nick quickly claimed.

Judy rolled her eyes at his quickness. "Of course you would. You've always tried to get out in doing reports."

"Why do you think I despise filing my taxes?"

"You can avoid it all you want, but you must give your report," Riley said while going to the fridge. "If it's any consolation, you can train with my sister or each other with my equipment once your report is given if the Animus is already occupied." He took out a can of Dr. Pawpper. "You may be unable to activate the blades but you can still use the features. Ask me or Valerie for assistance." Riley popped the can open and took a sip.

Nick sighed in defeat. "It was worth a shot."

"Can't hustle an Assassin remember?" Judy reminded.

"But I can still read you based on yours and your sister's reactions."

"The opportunity is there when you give your report." Riley offered. "The time periods are already available for selection and you have full control from there."

Judy followed Riley to the computers as Nick settled down in the Animus and Valerie tested the different blades and its features. Nick chose to explore the Renaissance, curious as to how a civilian got possession of a Piece of Eden and what the Templar did with one in possession. At the computers, Judy sat a few inches from Riley as she gave an oral report of her mission.

* * *

"Is that all?" Riley asked.

"Yes," Judy confirmed.

"Then we're finished. Valerie, Nick, which one of you wants to be next?"

"I will," Valerie answered. "I need a break from the testing and training."

"You got lucky Nick," Judy said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing, Carrots."

"Only if you make it that way," Riley said.

"I need to rest anyways so I don't mind going next." Valerie reasoned.

"Very well."

Valerie sat down to give her report while Judy stood near Nick, who was still in the Animus. She didn't want him to spend his entire wait time in the machine.

"Come on Nick. Don't you want to try out the weapons with me?" She said, with her ears down and big eyes.

Nick couldn't help laughing at her attempt to coax him. "I know you're giving me that look, Carrots. Did you forget that I can't see my surrounding while I'm in here?"

"Please, Nick? Don't you want to keep your bunny safe?"

"I'm sure you can handle it yourself Fluff. Besides, you have Riley and Valerie to help."

Nick's session suddenly ended and the first thing he saw was Judy at the terminal with a wide smirk.

"Did you forget that the session can be controlled from the terminal? Now get your lazy butt up!"

Judy proceeded to the training area.

Nick groaned while sitting up. "Killjoy..." He whispered.

"I heard that!"

"You're supposed to!"

By that time he arrived, Judy was already handling one of the braces. "Hmm, so how does this rope launcher work again?"

"Be careful with that, Carrots. You might accidentally break it. "

Any other brace wouldn't concern him since they were either too large for Judy or remotely harmless. But the projectile features could kill because of her size if mishandled.

"Nick, I know I'm still new at this even with the demonstration."

The fox huffed while crossing his arms. "That brace doesn't even fit the both of us."

"I want to at least try first before asking for assistance."

Riley was documenting Valerie's oral report as she gave every last detail.

"The security was definitely state of the art: mercenaries guarding every inch of the place and an advance system covering areas where the hired mammals couldn't."

"Definitely suspicious," Riley said. "No way Hart can install the system and pay the mammals to guard the place on his salary."

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a rope streaking between the lynxes followed by a brace, surprising the two and causing Valerie to flinch. The objects impacted the wall barely missing the monitors. The lynxes looked in the direction the rope came from to see Judy with her arm raised as if to fire and a shocked Nick. Nick quickly pointed his paws at Judy, proclaiming his innocence. This only earned a glare from Judy.

* * *

"You're up, Nick." Riley called.

The fox groaned that it was his turn. "Isn't the confession enough? Must we even give the reports?"

"Believe me. Your findings are sufficient." He understood Nick's complaint. "But with how much the lines of legality have already been threaded, every action during the investigation must be within the law. There are only so many times I can list probable cause as the reason for our actions."

Nick sighed in defeat. "Fine, let's get this over with."

As Nick dictated his report, Judy entered the Animus and selected the Third Crusade; wanting to see why Riley considers it the worst case scenario and curious if Richard the Lionheart has any relation to Leodore Lionheart. Valerie, in the meantime, resumed her training and selecting the features she wishes to use on the field.

While asked for the full details, Nick left out the encounter with the woodchuck his reaction upon the realization of him being the same one from the Junior Ranger Scouts. He wondered if Riley picked up on the missing information. If so, the black lynx didn't show it and that was fine with Nick. As mentioned before, giving his report was also a chance for him to get a better read on Riley.

After the trio finished, Judy, Nick, and Valerie spent their time either in the Animus or the training area as Riley compiled the extensive report. For her session, Valerie explored the Colonial times, curious on what the others experienced in Tundratown and to see why the Assassin defected. With another tutorial over the features and safety procedures, Judy and Nick were more careful in handling the braces.

* * *

Hours later, Riley stretched his arms out as he reclined in his seat, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Finished?" Judy asked, noticing of his action.

He turned around in his seat to face them, revealing the packet containing documents and disks with the information and confession. "Yes, hopefully it will be enough to convince the Chief."

"With how focused you've been, I'm certain it will."

"Honestly, I rarely do this. As an Assassin, what matters are eliminating the target and disappearing. The only tricky part is doing it cleanly."

"If only police work was like that," Nick said wishfully. "But no, there must be paperwork on every single detail. You never know when it's going to be involved with the courts."

"I can only imagine." Riley stretched once more before setting the packet down and getting up. "I'm thinking about heading out for dinner. What do you say, Valerie?"

"After being in here for hours, I definitely need to get out."

"You two want to join us? I'm paying."

"Any chance for a free meal is not something I'd pass up," Nick said, quickly accepting the offer.

"Don't think you can ride off them just because they have money to spend," Judy warned.

"You wound me, Carrots. You know me better than that."

Judy shook her head. "So where are we going?"

"Kyoto, a Japanese restaurant not too far down the road from here. It's where I go to clear my head sometimes and for my Friday nights."

"Sounds good to me," Nick said.

"Riley, I have to ask," Judy said. "You said you have another entrance. Would it possible to finally show us?"

"Well, I suppose since we're in our normal attire. The sewer entrance is meant for a quick escape. Let me do one quick thing first."

Riley walked to the bed. He opened the drawer underneath and took out a black and white jacket and a gray jacket. The first had black on the collar, cuffs, and along the buttons. Two unique features are the three black lines that ran down the arms and a chest pocket that featured a logo. The gray jacket was a zip-up hoodie with the same black lines running along the arms and pockets at the hem.

Riley also brought out a blue draw-string bag from underneath the bed. He visited the workbench and put on a hidden blade with the rope launcher and dart launcher. Riley then covered the brace with the black and white jacket.

"Need the key to the place."

"You're lucky there's a chill tonight," Nick said. "Not sure how you do that in warmer weather."

"I have inconspicuous methods."

Nick then pointed to the logo on the pocket, having recognized it. "You a fan of the team?"

Riley looked at where he pointed. "Oh no. Dad gave it to me in middle school and I've grown attached to it ever since."

He retrieved a basic hidden blade and tossed it along with the hoodie to Valerie, who quickly caught the items.

"Killing two birds with one stone here. You can hide your features and get used to wearing that while walking."

"Hopefully, I don't need to use the blade."

Valerie slipped on the brace and put on the hoodie.

"What's the bag for?" Judy asked.

Riley opened the bag and packed a few bombs. "Just a precaution. You never know."

"Are you sure those won't be detected?"

"Positive. The shells prevent the residues from leaking and there are napkins in the bag as buffers."

Riley slipped on the bag and walked to the door near the computers. Judy and Nick noticed it earlier during their first visit but didn't ask any further. Now, Riley was about to answer two questions at this moment. The black lynx opened the door to reveal a room. He entered the room and the others followed in. Inside the lit room was a single piano.

"I didn't know you played piano, Riley," Judy said.

"I don't. It's for the second passage."

Riley walked up to the piano and played these seven notes in treble clef.

 _F, F, F, E#, G, Bb, Bb_

At the sound of the last note, two things happened. First, the piano began playing on its own the tune just played. Second, the passageway opened up behind the piano.

"A piano lock and key," Nick said in wonder. "Now I've seen everything."

"The mechanism is not as subtle as I want it to be which is why it's rarely used. This is here because the unwritten rule of having two entry points and I wanted to make use of this piano since I never took lessons for it."

"A creative way to make use of the piano nonetheless. It makes me want to go buy one just for that."

"A lot of engineering goes into just having your favorite tune as a key."

The four entered the passageway and reached the end. Riley opened the door slightly to check the surroundings. After confirming the area to be clear, the four appeared in the subway tunnels.

"Interesting choice of exit," Nick said. "But I'm not surprised that it's underground."

"I assume locating and accessing the path is the same with the sewer tunnel," Judy said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm too lazy to come up with different methods. But I did make it so that only those with Eagle Vision can see it."

"Having the Sense seems to be a requirement for the Assassins," Valerie said.

"Then the Brotherhood won't grow as large. The place is not too far from here. "

* * *

The distance confirmed Riley's words as they stood in front of Kyoto within minutes. Riley opened the door for the others.

"Why thank you."

Judy, Nick, and Valerie saw the large displays of the menu to the side.

"I already know my order so just meet me at the register when you're ready."

Riley stood near the cash register as the others looked over options on the menu. A few minutes later, they made their choices and placed their order.

Judy: a tofu hibachi with steam rice and a water cup.

Nick: a shrimp tempura Bento box with veggie tempura.

Valerie: a sashimi Bento box trio.

Riley: a salmon teriyaki Bento box with shrimp tempura.

All their meals came with both miso soup and salad, except for Valerie. Hers came with the option of either or and she chose the salad. The predators also ordered fountain drinks with their meals. They paid for their meal and received their number. Riley selected a booth in the corner and set their number down. They gathered their utensils and filled their cups before returning to their seats.

"So tell me about your experience with Eagle Vision." Riley started. "Was it to your expectations?"

"Just thinking about how much this will help the police work makes me want to tackle cold cases," Judy said in excitement.

"Let's be real Carrots. I doubt this gift will pick up evidence that may have long disappeared."

"Give it time to develop and maybe it will happen," Riley assured. "Any distinct features you noticed?"

"I can tag my enemies and targets just like you mentioned. It made tracking my targets so much easier. Losing sight of my target won't be an issue the next time I make a pursuit."

"Just make sure you actually keep sight on your target. You'll still lose them if they disappear from view. What about you Nick?"

"Same thing as Carrots but with one small difference. I can see entry points. Sneaking in just got a whole lot easier. Too bad they aren't tagged. That would have been nice."

"Hey, how come you can do that but I can't?!" Judy said, jealous of Nick's.

"It must be my ancestor. Don't be jealous."

"He's right," Riley said. "Each individual has their own variation of Eagle Visions. You would have inherited Nick's had you chosen someone with that. It's a matter of the luck of the draw."

"What about you two?" Judy asked. "What are yours like?"

Riley and Valerie looked at each other.

"Would you like to go first?" Riley asked.

Valerie nodded and returned her attention to Judy and Nick.

"Mine is unique because there are three versions available. It works like a pulse with a short and long version. That's the first two. The third is very special. Be ready."

Valerie used the sense and at that moment, Riley, Judy, and Nick saw from her point of view. Judy and Nick almost cried out from that experience, but quickly remembered their location.

"What…was…that?" Judy said in astonishment.

"Communal Sense. It lets others with eagle vision in close proximity to see what the user sees."

"Okay, now I'm jealous," Nick said.

"Serves you right," Judy retorted. "What's yours like Riley?"

"I started with the most basic form," He began. "No tagging or locating entry points. But my sense evolved as I matured. Thus Eagle Vision transitioned to Eagle Sense. Only one other Assassin in our records achieved that mastery. When focusing on a target, I can pick up the trail or predict the next path. I can also locate disguised enemies. It's how I identified the Mayor's bodyguards and Mr. Big's polar bears to be Templars. But I have to scan individually which can be a big headache."

"If that's what to expect, then I wouldn't mind waiting," Nick said.

"How will you know when you mastered it?" Judy asked.

"The Assassin I mentioned was in his early fifties when it happened while I'm only ten years younger. It takes years of sharpening the sense just to achieve the level of mastery so don't expect it anytime soon."

"Well then, challenge accepted," Judy said.

"I knew you would say that," Nick said.

This earned him an elbow to the ribs.

Their server appeared at their table with a tray. "Your miso soup and salads."

They said their thanks as the bowls were placed in front of them.

"And your sauces." The server placed four bottles of the sauce on the table. "Enjoy."

Judy curiously looked at her bottle.

"You never tried Yum Yum sauce before Carrots?" Nick said as he grabbed his.

"No, is it good?"

"That you must try yourself," Riley said while covering his salad with the sauce.

With that encouragement, Judy picked up a fork of salad and sprayed a little bit of the sauce on it. The moment she took the bite, her eyes widened at the taste.

"From that look, does that mean you like it?" Valerie asked before eating some salad.

Judy nodded and proceeded to drench her salad with the sauce. Each bite felt heavenly. "This is so good! Is this only for the salad?"

Riley shook his head. "Nope, you can put it on the main course as well."

"Mmm!" She said while taking another bite. "Do you think I can take some home?"

"All you have to do is ask."

"Oh I'll definitely ask," Judy said before eating more salad.

"Slow down there Carrots," Nick said teasingly. "It's only sauce."

"I could say the same for you with my family's blueberries."

"Guilty," Nick conceded. "So I'm curious on how you will convince Chief Buffalo Butt to agree to your plan. He's never one to condone murder."

"It's been on my mind ever since he gave permission for our investigation. Everything short of revealing the secrets would be insufficient, but that seems to be the only option left. I don't know if I can trust him with that information."

"If you expect him to turn a blind eye, then you have no choice," Judy said. "As the Chief, he can't in good conscience allow a crime to go unpunished. Especially yours."

Riley deep sighed. "This is so going against on how the Brotherhood operates. But seeing that there is no council to oversee, I could get away with certain actions without repercussions. Hopefully, this is resolved by the time word reaches to the Brotherhoods outside of Zootopia. I'll start working on another report as soon as we return home."

"Riley, did you forget that you just gained another member?" Valerie reminded.

"Sorry, I'm used to operating alone for some time now. Thanks for the reminder." Riley said, thankful for the encouragement. "But I must warn you this when you join me on the actual mission. Being in the field is completely different from the training and simulation. There are no second chances for mistakes."

"Valerie, are you sure you want to take that next step your brother has already taken?" Judy asked. "You heard what he said when returning from the Rainforest District." She understood that the only way for her to escape this is to defeat the Templars, but Judy's concern was if Valerie was ready for the implications of taking that next step.

"I may never be ready to handle the consequences should it happen. The best I can do is to not hesitate when asked. There is less regret in that than taking no action because I'm worried."

"Judy and I have seen our fair share of PTSD among the force," Nick said. "Even though those have been out of self-defense, we still have some understanding."

"Regardless, I will make it a priority that I am the one to deliver the strike," Riley affirmed. "As you said yourself, just be ready when things go wrong."

Their food finally arrived and the four indulged themselves in their meals. With her newfound love in Yum Yum sauce, Judy covered everything but the rice with it. Nick would have made jokes for days had Riley not also did the same for his salmon as well as Valerie with the paw roll that came with her Bento box. The four ate in silence for the most part as the investigations expended much of their energy that was in desperate need to be replenished.

"Okay Nick," Riley finally said. "You've had plenty of time to assess me. What's the verdict?"

Nick swallowed before speaking. "Well your Honor, I the jury hereby find you not guilty of you protecting yourself and your sister from the prejudice of society."

"You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"Okay, tell me if this sounds familiar. A pair of lynx kittens is informed of their conditions from their parents and tell their friends about, thinking what they have is special. Only to find out, whoopsie. Their reactions were the exact opposite. And those hopes of feeling special, double whoopsie, they are mocked for it. And whoopsie number threesie, it all goes downhill from there and soon they become the laughing stock among their peers where they are bullied endlessly. The fact the kits are predators doesn't help their plight whatsoever. Soon the two lynxes are forced to spend their lives under a half-truth. All because of their genetic traits and, I hope you figured this out by now Carrots, are offspring of an interspecies couple. Sound about right?"

The table was silent for a few seconds before the lynxes broke out into a grin.

"Yep, that's about it," Valerie said. "Mom is an ocelot and Dad is a lynx."

"I had a feeling you two were mixed. Lynxes don't have long tails." Judy said.

"It paid off for me at least," Riley said. "One of the few benefits of being a hybrid and having a growth spurt."

"It still doesn't explain why you are seen as bad luck."

"Here's a question for you," Valerie said. "What is worse than being labeled by society's perception?"

The question stumped Judy and Nick. They had dealt with or encountered prejudice before, but that was mainly over their own kind. Even with hybrids, the discrimination was only directed to the species they were offsprings of. Was there an area of prejudice they were unaware of? The two couldn't give an honest answer to the question.

Riley finally broke the silence. "Being labeled by a false perception."

* * *

 **Without spoilers:**

 **Third Crusade=Memory Block 7 of the first game**

 **Renaissance=Bonfire of the Vanities (Civilian) and Sequence 14 of the second game (Templar)**

 **Colonial Times=Sequence 2 Memory 4 and Sequence 6 Memory 5 of Rogue**

 **From the death of Edward Kenway (1735) to the end of the Colonial Purge (1763) is what I consider the Dark Age for the Assassin Order. Yes, the argument can be made for the present day, but this is more from a historical** **perspective just as how the present-day Templars consider the Borgia's reign a dark age as well.**

 **To the guest review asking why Judy and Nick don't have the same type of eagle vision, I hope the explanations answers it.**

 **Left an easter egg with the piano notes. ;)** **Aside from the fact it's a favorite of mines, I chose the tune because it's supposedly not common in present times. Imagine someone playing Try Everything and accidentally making the discovery should the place be raided.**


	19. Friends or Family?

**This was so overdue, but I'll explain the major reasons in the author's note at the end. I will address three points first.**

 **Congratulations to Zootopia for winning the Oscars and being a year old! This movie was one of the things that helped me a year ago when I was struggling to pass my prerequisites and when I had one of the worst spring breaks in my life. I rarely ever go to the theaters but the trailers for film struck a chord with me. Zootopia has done to me what only Finding Nemo accomplished years go** **: get me to see it more than once in theaters and buy the DVD.**

 **Second, one minor reason for the gap between updates is that I discovered a major oversight. The aftermath of the Tundratown earthquake. In this universe, I lowered the magnitude because Zootopia would be wiped off the map if it suffered the same magnitude as the ones in Rogue. But it doesn't significantly lower the damages caused by those of 6.0 and above. I fixed most of the oversight and will come back to the rest later.**

 **Lastly, you may have noticed that this is Ch. 19 and not 18. Long story short: I wasn't satisfied with how I wrote the section where the Assassin infiltrated the ZPD. It didn't make sense for Nick and Judy to be alone in the room without someone operating in there and an officer protecting them. After fixing it and somehow adding content, I decided to make it into its own chapter.**

* * *

Riley finally broke the silence at the table. "Being labeled by a false perception.

The response was just as confusing at the question. Nick and Judy still had trouble comprehending the answer.

"Um, can you clarify that because that is rather broad from our understanding?" Nick said.

"We were slandered with obvious lies for being hybrids and our conditions," Valerie answered. "I assume Riley told you how our size didn't deter the bullying."

Nick and Judy quickly remembered their conversation with Riley on the way to the hideout. With that also came the emotions felt during the moment, at least for Judy.

The bunny gripped her fork in fury, baring a teeth and emitted a low growl. It was only when she felt Nick's paw on her shoulder that Judy calmed down.

She breathed deeply and lowered her head with her eyes closed. "I'm sorry. Hearing that reminded me of someone who was slandered for their species."

Curious, Riley and Valerie looked to Nick, assuming it was him she was talking about. The fox returned with a single nod and that was all the siblings needed to know. They let Judy calm down from her emotions before Riley and Valerie continued their explanation.

"You have to remember that society was different when we were kits." Valerie said.

"I can understand slandering through stereotypes," Nick said. "But anyone with half a brain should know that slandering with complete blatant lies only makes one question their sanity."

"Adults yes," Riley said before taking a deep breath. "But youth…"

Judy and Nick froze at that response and their expressions became blank as their own memories of childhood bullies came back to them. They knew all too well how harsh children can be when putting down others. Their faces then changed completely to that of understanding as their ears fell.

"Oh…" Judy meekly said.

"That's…different." Nick added.

"Your expressions tell us all we need to know," Valerie said. "You must remember that anything interspecies was highly frowned upon years ago. Mere association would subject you to the persecution."

"As I mentioned before, things did get better with time," Riley said. "But Valerie and I had to be careful whenever asked about our physical features."

"Thankfully, we endured the trials, and society as a whole has grown less hostile in recent years. But it still bothers us whenever we see other mammals being bullied for their species. Even stereotypes."

"So, how did they slander you?" Judy asked, more curious but still angry.

Riley sipped his drink before answering. "Have you heard of the Black Cats?"

Judy tilted her in confusion at the name. "Who?"

"I did from Mr. Big once," Nick said. "They were an infamous group of felines who terrorized Zootopia years ago. All the members were black furred felines. Hence the name."

Judy was surprised yet expected Nick to know that. She was now even more curious. "What exactly they were infamous for?"

"They're your standard bandits," Nick began. "Often compared to Averie and his infamous heist because of the amount of wealth they stole and their disappearance after the last heist. Despite a fierce mammalhunt, the Black Cats were never caught. Their notoriety is the result of the failed arrests by law enforcement and government agencies. Their pursuers always suffered misfortune right before apprehending them. Equipment failure. Miscommunication. Even environmental factors. It was just...unlucky, and misfortune occurred everywhere they went."

Suddenly, something else came to Judy when she heard the word unlucky. "Wait? Is that what you meant, Riley?"

The black lynx-ocelot nodded. "The group's disappearance occurred when we were children, and the fears were still rampant in Zootopia. It was not a good time for mammals completely with black fur and being a hybrid didn't improve things."

"I can only imagine the profound impact the effects had on you two." Nick wondered.

"We already said how difficult our childhood was," Valerie said. "Riley and I tried our best to ignore the mockery, but they eventually became too much."

"The breaking point happened when we were thirteen years old." Riley explained.

* * *

 _30 years ago…_

The school bell rang to signal the beginning of lunch period. A teenaged Riley Lucius exited the building into the schoolyard, carrying his lunch bag. He walked around for a bit before finding an empty table. Riley sat down at the table and emptied the lunch bag of its contents: a tuna salad sandwich, a fruit granola bar, and a carton of milk. Riley unwrapped the sandwich and began eating. He didn't mind sitting alone as it gave him a little bit of peace.

As a result of the Black Cats' disappearance and reputation, Riley and other black-furred felines at the school have been the targets of mockery and fear, but this persecution soon extended to any mammals with black fur. This led to them to band together and protect each other, ironically creating their version of the infamous group. Unfortunately for Riley, being a hybrid prevented him from becoming a part of the group whether he wanted to or not. The isolation caused all the attention to be focused on him since no one dared to fight the group.

Riley finished the sandwich and grabbed the granola bar when he heard familiar voices coming from behind.

"Well if it isn't the Black Cat."

Riley sighed deeply and waited for the inevitable. Five prey students crowded around the table: a ram, a pig, a rabbit, a cape buffalo, and an elephant.

His face remained expressionless. "What do you want this time?"

"I see you were nice enough to bring us a snack for our lunch," The pig said, talking about the fruit granola bar.

Riley looked at the snack and then back at the prey students. "I doubt this one bar will fill your bellies."

The cape buffalo snorted. "Don't care. Give us the bar."

The black feline shook his head. "You know. It's ironic how you all are afraid of me yet are now ganging up on me."

"We've been taught to face our fears, and we're doing just that." The ram said.

Riley raised the bar. "And you're not afraid of possibly getting poisoned from eating this?"

"Only if you open the wrap." The elephant said.

Riley gave off an infuriating smirk, deciding to get a little payback. "That's a great idea!

The bunny narrowed his eyes and gave off a glare. "Don't you dare!"

But Riley could care less. He was having too much fun. The teenager opened the wrapping, showcasing the fruit granola bar for them to see. In a flash, Riley stuffed the entire snack into his mouth and began chewing. This only further angered the children. Riley polished the bar off with the entire milk carton and licked his lips of the remains.

"Mmm! That is one good fruit granola bar. I only wish you could have tasted it for yourselves!"

Riley knew he would pay for that, but it didn't matter. It felt good to get a little revenge on them. The teenager gathered his trash and calmly stood up. The ram, bunny, and pig jerked backwards to the Cape buffalo and elephant as Riley towered over the three.

"I thought so."

He then walked off, leaving the angry students behind. Riley strolled across the schoolyard after tossing the trash away in a nearby bin. Despite being only thirteen years old, he was growing more mature. His father's teachings helped him the black feline think for himself and discern situations more clearly such as someone intentionally setting him up for trouble.

Riley was just thankful that all the attention was on him instead of Valerie. Being hybrids didn't make their school lives easy. But he was willing to endure the persecution so long as Valerie could have a normal school life. As he walked, Riley was immediately surrounded by those same prey students.

"Where do you think you're going?" The pig demanded.

Riley ignored them and tried to move but was immediately blocked by the elephant and Cape buffalo.

"Oh no, this is for your stunt you!" The ram exclaimed. "You think you can get away with that?"

"Stop wasting my time!" Riley cried.

"Not until we show you what we do to freaks!" The rabbit yelled.

The pig stepped forward and threw a punch that connected with Riley's face. The attack caused him to stumble backward.

Riley quickly recovered and checked himself for any injuries. After confirming none, he slid off his backpack and got into fighting stance.

"Big mistake."

It became clear that a fight will break out so Riley prepared to defend himself. The Cape buffalo and the elephant stood back as the pig, the ram, and the rabbit readied. The sight of the first punch caught the attention from the students in the schoolyard. They gathered around to watch the fight, forming a ring around Riley and the five prey students. Of course, the prey students cheered for the five while the predators remained silent, secretly hoping that the hybrid predator is victorious.

Riley waited patiently for the three to strike. He knew attacking one would leave him vulnerable so the teenager remained on guard. Students chanting _Fight! Fight! Fight!_ went on around them. Finally, the ram charged forward at Riley with his head down. Riley waited until the last minute to step aside and stick his foot out. The ram realized too late as he tripped over the foot and fell to the ground hard as a result of his speed.

The rabbit took advantage of the distraction to jump on him, wrapping his legs around his neck and began beating him. Riley struggled against the grip and the beating. He quickly noticed the pig moving in for a double team. With seconds to spare, he bared his claws and sank them into the rabbit's legs, causing the lagomorph to cry out in pain and loosen the grip. Sensing this, Riley forcibly pulled the rabbit off himself and proceeded to throw him at the oncoming pig.

The pig was surprised and reacted too late as the two prey collided and stumbled to the ground slightly dazed. While Riley focused on the next attack, the ram slammed into him from the side with a charge, knocking him backward and the air out of him. Unfortunately, the direction the ram sent Riley in was towards the Cape buffalo. As soon as he came within distance, the Cape buffalo grabbed Riley and held him in a headlock.

"Hey, no fair!" Riley yelled while struggling in his grasp.

"Too bad, freak!"

Riley began elbowing the Cape buffalo, the bovine kept a strong grip on him. While distracted, the pig appeared and punched Riley in the stomach. Before he could land another hit, Riley kicked the pig with one foot to halt the attack before adding another to push him away. It wouldn't be long before they overwhelmed him.

"LET. GO. OF. ME!"

Riley growled and bared his teeth. He sank them into the Cape buffalo's arm, causing him to yowl in pain and immediately let him go. Riley then tasted iron in his mouth, realizing that he drew blood. That was more evident at the sight of the red liquid leaking from the bite marks. Riley quickly pushed that concern aside for more pressing matters. Not wanting a repeat, he yanked the Cape buffalo down by the good arm and with all his strength, dealt a stunning blow to the face that effectively incapacitated the Cape buffalo. The display brought a collective gasp from the prey and impressed the predators.

 _One down, four to go._

The moment Riley moved away from the student barrier, the pig connected a punch to his face. Riley stumbled to the ground again from the surprise attack. Before he could regain his bearings, the ram head-butted the feline and knocked him a short distance. Unfortunately for Riley, he fell for the tactic again. The attack sent him towards the elephant who quickly wrapped his trunk around Riley to restrain him. The elephant was smart enough to gag Riley with the trunk, preventing him from biting himself free and took delight in hearing his muffled cries.

As Riley struggled to break free, he saw the rabbit rapidly approaching. His eyes widened in horror as the buck launched into the air with his feet aimed directly at him. In a panic, Riley ducked as a first instinct. To his fortune, the act also lowered the elephant's head down in the bunny's path. The two prey realized too late and became terrified at the outcome. The rabbit's feet slammed hard into the elephant's face, resulting in Riley being set free. He quickly moved away in time to see the elephant fall to the ground unconscious from the hit.

The crowd had gone completely silent but with different expressions. The frightened prey could only watch Riley slowly gain the advantage while subtle smiles appeared on the predators' faces.

 _Two down, three to go_

Riley saw the fury in the eyes of the rabbit, pig, and ram and patiently waited for their next move, shifting his fighting stance. To his surprise, all three charge forward at him screaming like banshees. The rabbit, pig, and ram threw punches and kicks at Riley, but he blocked each one of them. The sight of it stunned even the predators. Most, if not all, had only seen this on television. Unbeknownst to them, Riley had received training from his lynx father once the persecution started.

Riley needed to act quickly before they overwhelmed him so he created on opening. On the rabbit's next punch, Riley deflected it and kicked him hard, sending the rabbit backward to the ground. He then blocked the ram's incoming hoof and did the same, leaving only the pig. Riley planned to save the pig for last so while blocking an attack, he grabbed the swine's legs and flipped him.

While the pig was airborne, Riley quickly went for the rabbit. While the rabbit laid on the ground stunned, Riley lifted him up and body slammed him to the ground, hitting the back neck and shoulder area first and effectively putting the rabbit out of the fight.

 _Three down, two to go_

Riley saw the ram slowly getting up and dashed over to him. Before the ram could sit up, a punched sent him on his back again. He then felt another and then another. Predator and prey students watched in stunned silence at the fast-paced punches Riley unleashed on the unfortunate ram. To them, it looked like the teenager was using a jackhammer. Riley finally ceased and the ram was left twitching from the attack.

 _One more_

The pig slowly recovered to see his all his friends out of the fight and Riley staring at him in defiance. Riley slowly walked to the center of the ring where the pig. All rational thought disappeared as rage overcame the pig. In his mind, a hybrid freak just humiliated him and his friends in front of the school. They would become the laughing stock for the rest of their time in school. That thought pushed him to the breaking point. The pig roared and charged forward to Riley, intending to somehow take him down.

He didn't even land a hit as Riley did a quick double punch to stun him. The next thing the pig knew, he felt Riley's arms around his neck and was flipped sideways to where he laid on the ground with Riley cradling his head. The pig opened his eyes just in time to see Riley raise his fist and bring it down. He closed his eyes and felt the punch connect and then another. Riley repeatedly punched the pig in the face and only ceased when his nose and face began bleeding. He calmly backed away as the pig lay dazed.

The whole scene was silent, save for the groaning from the rabbit, pig, and ram. Riley slowly backed away with his fists unclenched and went to retrieve his backpack. No words were spoken as the surroundings students busied themselves with their thoughts. Before this, the student population had focused on Riley's appearance, but now they just witnessed his strength. All of them inwardly acknowledge that it is a very bad idea to provoke the hybrid. Regardless, a school reputation was born that day.

A voice finally broke the silence. "What is going on here?!"

The students immediately dispersed at the sound of a teacher's voice. Few remained watching from a distance to see the outcome and tell the rest of the school. The teacher paid no attention to the scattering students as the sight of Riley and the five prey students on the ground took precedent. It only took seconds for the teacher to make sense of what happened.

The teacher pointed in the direction of the building. "Principal's office! NOW!"

Riley resigned to his fate and obeyed the command. Were it not for the students currently on the ground, the teacher would have dragged Riley to the principal.

* * *

It was finally the end of school when a beaten and bruised Riley exited the school office. It didn't take long for the fight to spread throughout the school. On the way to the principal, students cleared the path for him, too afraid to make eye contact and too afraid to even whisper. Riley didn't bother to glance at them as he walked and the silence benefited him. He had spent the rest of the school afternoon in the office as they investigated the fight and dealt out the punishment.

"Riley!"

His name being called broke him from his thought. Riley looked in the direction of the voice to see Valerie running up to him. "Hey, Val."

Valerie stopped in front of her brother, expressing a worried look. "I heard what happened during lunch! How bad are you?"

He meekly scratched the back of his head. "Just some cuts and bruises. But those five prey students…"

Valerie scowled and crossed her arms. "You know better than to pick a fight! It only makes things worse for you!"

Riley sighed. "I know. I should have handled it better."

"Mom and Dad will not happy about this you know."

"Don't remind me..."

The two began walking to the school entrance. Since school had ended and most of the students have already gone home, Riley and Valerie avoided much of the gossip and slander.

"So what did you get?" Valerie finally asked.

"Five-day suspension." He stated.

His sister scoffed. "I'm not surprised. And those prey students?"

There was a moment of hesitation.

Riley sighed deeply. "Nothing."

Valerie stopped momentarily as Riley continued forward, astonished at the outcome. "What?! Why?!" She quickly caught up to him.

"The teacher who reported the fight only saw the outcome and naturally, assumed the worst. Despite my best efforts, it was my word against the prey's once they were treated."

"Wait, they didn't ask the other students?! The fight has been the talk of the school all day!" She found it hard to believe that none of the witnesses were asked to give and account.

"No, and guess who I saw among the crowds."

Valerie's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. Your best friends were among the spectators and they did nothing as usual."

"Correct."

Valerie instantly stopped and punched the wall next to her to take out her frustration. Once she calmed down, they resumed walking.

"I can't believe it!" She yelled. "You've been friends for years and then all of sudden they turn your back on you when the school finds out what you are!"

"Peer Pressure is ugly, Val. It could be just me, but I also think the prey faculty is out to get me for being a hybrid predator."

"In that case, I would receive the same treatment so it's just you."

"Good point," He conceded, "How are you fairing?"

Valerie sighed deeply. "Only a little better with everyone more focused you. This isn't right! You don't deserve this, Riles!"

"I hate this as much as you do, but one of us must take the fall."

"Hmph! You know at some point I have to be able to defend myself. You can't be there all the time."

"I realize that, but it doesn't mean we want it."

Valerie conceded.

They exited the school building and were on their way to the exit when Riley heard his name called. The siblings stopped and looked around to see who it is. Riley and Valerie saw a panther approaching with a wolf, fox, deer, and a goat. All of them having black fur. They were just a few members of the school's faux group. Riley and Valerie flinched back at the sight.

"Easy." The panther said. "We only want to talk."

The siblings looked at each other before slowly relaxing, but remained cautious.

"What do you want?" Riley asked, clearly wishing to be anywhere else but here.

"We just want to say how impressed we are with your display in the fight."

Riley could tell that the panther was genuine with his compliment. "Thanks. Is that all?" He cautiously added.

"One more thing." The panther continued. "On behalf of our group, we would like to extend you an invitation to join us. You have skills and the smarts from our scouting report. A rare combination," The panther then smiled. "Would do you say?"

Riley carefully considered the offer. Joining them would guarantee the much-needed protection. He would be crazy to decline this opportunity, but one factor prevented him from readily accepting. A factor more important than whatever benefits the group provided.

"I'll accept. On one condition." He pointed his thumb at Valerie. "Valerie gets the same protection as I do."

"What?!" Valerie exclaimed, surprised at her brother's response. _What is he thinking?_

The panther shook his head. "No can do."

"Then I won't join."

That response shocked Valerie even more. Her reaction was noticed by the group.

"Do you realize that even your sister agrees that rejecting our offer would be a mistake?" The panther said. "You would rather get beat up every day?"

Riley remained defiant. "No, but you're overlooking one crucial factor. You all understand that Valerie and I are hybrids? And how we've been targeted as a result correct?"

The five mammals didn't understand the point, but the panther put his arms out to prevent the remaining four from interfering. "Go on." He said.

"Thank you. So far, the students have focused on me more than Valerie as a result of the Black Cats' disappearance as evident by today's fight at lunch. So what would happen if I did join you?"

"What's your point?" The panther said, his patience wearing thin.

"My point is that Valerie will become the focus of the harsh treatment since I will be untouchable. So unless she receives the same protection, I will not abandon my family to be a part of yours. Those are my terms and they are non-negotiable. I'm sure you understand how important it is to protect your own."

No words were spoken after Riley finished his point. The silence allowed his words to sink in. The more they pondered, the more they realized that Riley was correct, much to the group's reluctance. The group was glad there weren't any students around to witness the verbal rebuke. They hated his defiance, yet they couldn't pass up on having Riley's qualities among them. However, the group wasn't going to be pushed around like that.

"We need to think on this." The panther finally said.

"Then I give you five days because that's my suspended. You'll probably have one day at most should I succeed in getting it revoked."

With that, Riley turned to leave. Valerie looked to her brother and back at the group before quickly joining him. Unfortunately for the faux group, a few students had lingered around and witnessed the scene. Once the siblings were away from school grounds, Valerie spoke up.

"You didn't have to do that. Even if I became the focus, it's only the girls I have to worry about getting violent at me."

Riley sighed. "Maybe, but I still wouldn't have joined even if that wasn't a factor."

Valerie became confused. "I don't' understand."

"Because I noticed that the group is full of bad boy/girl personalities and the invitations came after the new members were in trouble with the school. I'm trying to get away from the Black Cats' reputation. Why in the world would I then embrace it just to feel secure? No, not happening. And my negotiation showed how they allowed themselves to be a clique and become the very mammals that brought them together in the first place. You know how much I can't stand hypocrisy. Even I punch myself if I ever fall for it."

"I have noticed that," Valerie admitted. "I'm going to be honest. I thought you should have accepted their invite, but your explanation makes sense the more I think about it. Still, they're not happy that you turned them down and told them off."

"I know, but I had to get that off my chest. When I return to school, I'll be ready for them." He then looked at Valerie. "Think you can handle yourself at school without me for a little bit?"

She smirked. "Dad's been giving us lessons since we were ten. I might not be able to fight like you from what I've heard, but I can hold my own."

Riley chuckled, and they continued on home.

* * *

The siblings finally arrived home and Riley unlocked the door with his set of house keys. Upon their entrance, their mother and father greeted them.

"How was school?" Their ocelot mother called out from the kitchen.

"Good." The siblings said.

"Anything interesting happened at…school today?" The lynx father came out to see the beaten and bruised Riley. "What happened to you?!" He cried as he ran forward to check on his son.

"I got into a fight at school with one of the bullies."

"What?!" Their mother yelled, overhearing her son's words. She rushed out to investigate and saw the injuries. "Oh, my baby!"

"Sit down and tell us everything. And I mean everything!" His father demanded.

The four sat in the living room and the parents listen to Riley give his account. Certain details were omitted but most of the description remained.

Their father couldn't help but be proud of the outcome of the fight. "I trained you so well."

A smack on the head from his wife and her glare quickly silenced him.

"What happened after the fight?" Their mother asked.

"A teacher saw the aftermath and ordered me to the principal's office," Riley pulled out a paper and showed it to his parents. "I'm suspended for five days while those prey students got nothing."

"What?!" Their parents yelled.

"That's outrageous!" The mother yelled. "Did they even listen to your side?!"

"Yes, but the evidence was overwhelming against me. They just took the prey's account without verifying them."

"Alright, that's it!" The father exclaimed. "Tomorrow your mother and I are going to school to get you unsuspended. Those kids will not go unpunished for hurting my son! We promise you that."

"Let's get your injuries treated first." The mother said.

The family knew it will be difficult once the parents make themselves known their parents to the school administration. But this was too far and now they were finally going to take action.

* * *

The next day, a determined Valerie roamed the school halls as her eyes searched back and forth. The white hybrid finally found her targets and marched right over. Two students, a rabbit and a coyote, were having a conversation by the lockers when an 'ahem' interrupted them. They turned to see a glaring Valerie standing before them.

"Oh uh, hi Valerie," The coyote said. "How have you been?"

"Swell." She didn't hide her disdain.

"Right, so..." The rabbit began.

"Shut it, you two!"

The two mammals flinched at the venom in her words.

"You must understand, Val—" The coyote tried to reason but was interrupted by Valerie putting her paw up.

"First off, you've lost the right to call me Val. Two, I told you I don't want to hear it!"

The rabbit and coyote silently nodded and let her continue.

"Now, whether or not you wanted to get involved with that fight is not the issue. What is the issue is how you let my brother take the fall knowing full well he is innocent. Did you know those prey students got off the hook?"

The two mammals didn't say a word, but their shameful expressions gave it away.

"I figured much. You've been friends with Riley for years and all because the school finds out about mine and his condition you give into peer pressure by abandoning him."

They couldn't deny Valerie's words. The look of betrayal on Riley's face remained fresh in their minds despite their efforts to move on.

"And because you cared more about yourself than sticking up for friends, the clean record Riley works hard to keep is tarnished. That suspension will go on his permanent record and will affect his future applications. Now you may speak."

"Sorry Val," The rabbit said but quickly realized the mistake from her glare. "I mean…Sorry, Valerie. We never wanted that to happen to him."

"We truly feel horrible for abandoning him," The coyote said. "Not a day goes by where the guilt doesn't eat at us. Honest."

The two quietly waited for Valerie's response, hoping for the best.

She sighed deeply. "If you're truly sorry, then go try to fix this. You two are eyewitnesses and, as much as I hate to say this, the fact that you no longer hang out with Riley should back you up."

The coyote and bunny quickly nodded.

"We'll do it!" The coyote said.

"Good. One last thing."

The coyote and the rabbit felt the stinging pain of white paws and its pads smacking their faces.

"Okay, we deserved that." The rabbit admitted.

With that, Valerie turned around towards her next class. With twenty minutes to spare, she stopped by her locker first. Upon arrival, Valerie was shocked to see the door covered in notes. She only read a few to understand their meaning. Furious, Valerie quickly tore off the notes and wanted to throw them away but decided against it. Taking a few deep breaths, Valerie retrieved her books and stored the notes in the locker for evidence before slamming the door shut and moving on to class.

* * *

Back at home on the first day of suspension, Riley sat at the kitchen table doing his suspension work in preparation for the worst along with the actual homework. He was home alone since both his parents worked and Valerie still went to school. His parents promised to leave work early to speak with the administration and resolve the conflict. Despite telling himself it was a lost cause, Riley held on to that small hope.

Around the time school ended, he stopped the suspension work, saving it for the usual time to do homework. Riley grabbed a quick soda from the fridge and waited anxiously for his parents and sister to return home. Finally, he heard the front door open.

"Riley! Come in here!" His mother called.

He set the can down on the table near his schoolwork and entered the living room to see their parents smiling.

"What is it?" He asked.

"We have good news!" Their mother said in excitement. "The school revoked your suspension Riley and disciplining those kids instead!"

Riley's eyes widened and his jaw hung low. A wave of excitement and relief filled the teenager. So much, that he had trouble responding. "W-what?" was all he could say.

"You heard your mother." The father said with a smile on his face.

"H-how?"

"I'm glad you asked. You see we argued against the administration for hours when they refused to change their minds. Just when all seemed lost, we received help from an unexpected source."

Riley tilted his head, his curiosity peaked. "What source?"

It was his mother's turn to answer. "A certain coyote and rabbit agreed to vouch for your innocence."

Riley's shocked expression returned as he instantly realized they were his best friends. They were the last mammals he expected to come to his defense. Not after how they fell apart so it begs the question. "But why?"

"We spoke to them after the issue was settled," The mother said. "They said the guilt finally got to them and wanted to fix their friendship with you. They also said a certain hybrid encouraged them."

Riley smiled at how Valerie defended him, taking the _family protection_ to heart. "That's Valerie for you. I'll be sure to thank them when I tomorrow."

At that moment, the sound of keys unlocking the door attracted their attention.

"Speaking of Valerie," The father said.

They waited for Valerie to enter to give the good news. Their happiness and joy were quickly replaced with horror and disbelief.

"Dear sweet kittens…" Riley uttered.

A weeping Valerie stood before them after she closed the door. What stunned them into silence was that her fur was completely dyed black. Still crying, Valerie moped towards her family before dropping to her knees.

Her mother immediately ran forward and embraced her daughter in a hug. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Her mother cried.

Valerie calmed down slightly to speak. "T-those mammals…the ones with black fur…d-did this."

Riley was appalled what she just said. "What?!"

Valerie looked up at her brother. "T-hey said if they wanted to p-protect me," She quickly sniffed. "T-then I should be the s-same as them."

Riley became infuriated and clenched his fists in anger. _So this is how they respond to me declining their invitation? No force on earth will ever get me to join them now._ He quickly took a deep breath and calmed down. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."

She swiftly shook her head. "Please don't blame yourself! You only were trying to look out for me!"

"She's right, son." Their father joined.

Riley looked up at his father.

"There's no need to join a group of students who treat those different from them like dirt."

Their mother silently agreed and looked back at Valerie, dreading the words she will say next and if Valerie had the answer. "Did anything else happen, sweetie?"

Valerie took off her backpack and proceeded to empty its contents. Dozens of notes fell onto the floor. The parents each reached for one and read the writing. One by one, they read the mild to harsh contents about their kits, each one causing them to grow more angry.

"Who are these kids? Tell me their names!" Their father demanded, shaking the note in the air.

"It's everyone!" Valerie cried.

Her words shocked the parents, but Riley had expected this for some time. Still, the number of students who wished harm on them was disheartening.

"They all stayed away from me and called me Black Cat! When they did come at me, they bullied me or tried to get me in trouble!" She sniffled as more tears flowed. "You know what else?! A group of boys stole all my stuff and hid it in their bathroom. A girl pretended to be hurt just because I passed by her and then her friends beat me up!" Valerie enveloped her in a tight hug, sobbing loudly into her chest. "Please don't make me go back!"

The stunning revelation left the family in a dilemma. The parents knew if Riley and Valerie returned to school, it would only get worse for them no matter how hard they would fight for them.

The ocelot looked to her husband with a saddened look. "What are we going to do?"

The lynx sighed deeply. "We can't let them continue to suffer like this. It's not good for them."

The wife understood his reason and looked at her son. "Riley? Could you prepare a bath for your sister? You father and I need to talk about this."

Riley silently nodded and retrieved his sister. Valerie was still crying as Riley took her to her room. Once there, Riley left to prepare the hot bath. As the water filled the tub, he continued to blame himself for what happened to his sister. Yet if he did join, Valerie could still get hurt from being the focus, and she and his parents would shame him for choosing those mammals over his family. _Perhaps, this was the lesser of the two evils._ After the tub was filled and checking the temperature, Riley returned to Valerie's room.

At the door, he could hear her still crying. Riley took a deep breath and calmly knocked on the door.

"Val? The bath is ready."

No response.

Despite wanting to give her time alone, they needed to get the black dye out. Riley checked the doorknob and found it unlocked. He reluctantly turned the knob. The door slightly opened to reveal Valerie lying on her belly and crying into the pillow. The sight broke Riley's heart. He strolled over to the bed and sat down beside her. Riley calmly stroked down the back to comfort her.

"Shh…Shh…Shh…Deep breaths."

The feeling of her brother stroking did calm her down. Valerie looked up at him with her bloodshot eyes.

"We'll get through this, Val. That's a promise."

She sniffled and slowly nodded.

This brought a small smile to Riley. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

Valerie slowly got up and was escorted by her brother to the bath tub.

After thoroughly cleaning herself up, their parents called them down to the living room. Whatever their decision was, the family promised to endure this ordeal together for Riley and Valerie's future.

* * *

"After that incident, our parents pulled us out and home-schooled us the rest of the way," Riley said. "We didn't like it but the trouble from going back to school wasn't worth it."

"We had to falsify our species and guardians to avoid discrimination after getting our high school diplomas," Valerie said. "The one positive is we kept in contact with the friends we made."

The story left Judy and Nick seething with anger. They knew from personal experience how much words can hurt, but never realized their full extent. The two individuals in front of them had their lives virtually destroyed from word of mouth. In their anger, Nick and Judy thought of horrible things they wanted to do to those mammals.

Riley took a deep breath and suddenly stood up. "Pardon me."

The sadness in his voice broke Judy and Nick from their angry thoughts. They and Valerie watched Riley leave the restaurant. Concerned, Nick and Judy looked back at Valerie who expressed a long face.

"You have to understand that Riley forced himself to remain strong through the trauma for the family's sake. Even with our parents helping us cope, he still put pent up all those feelings. We've never spoken about that incident afterward, but as far as I know, he's never released those emotions as I have. I can only imagine the increase in emotional toll that comes from twenty years as an Assassin."

Judy and Nick looked at each other briefly and reached an understanding.

"Go on, Carrots. We'll keep your dishes here until you return."

Judy nodded. She hopped off the chair and made for the front entrance. Outside, she began searching for Riley.

"Riley? Where are you?"

Judy knew he couldn't have gone far with Valerie being out in public. Her acute hearing then picked up the sounds of heavy breathing and sniffles from around the corner of the restaurant. Judy followed the trail and upon turning the corner, felt grief-stricken at the sight. Before her was Riley, sitting up on the ground against the wall. His arms had brought his knees in close and laid on top of them. Riley had his head down on his arms, crying.

Judy cautiously and silently approached him, hoping to not to make Riley close himself off and move away. Much to her relief, Riley did not move. Judy finally closed the gap and placed her paw on his shoulder.

"Riley?" She worryingly asked.

He sniffled. "I'm sorry you had to see that." His voice still muffled from his face being down.

Judy only stroked down his shoulder. "Just let it out, Riley. No one else is here who will hear you. I promise you that."

Taking the hint, Riley let the tears flow but still tried to keep his wailing soft. Judy remained by his side to comfort him while keeping her hearing up for anyone passing by. To see Riley in such a state reminded Judy that everyone has a breaking point. No matter how strong their defenses are. She couldn't help but be reminded of Nick from when he finally broke down after releasing his pent up feelings. Minutes later, the crying slowed down and soon stopped with only the occasional sniffle.

"Are you ready to go back inside?" Judy finally asked. "Nick and your sister are worried about you."

Riley nodded after wiping away his tears. "Give me a moment."

He took a few deep breaths and then stood up. Riley sported a smile to which Judy returned. With that, the two returned inside the restaurant. Valerie and Nick saw them return to their table and sat down, noticing Riley's bloodshot eyes from his crying.

"Do you feel better now?" Valerie asked.

"Yes," He said while grabbing napkins to wipe his eyes. "I'm sorry again for walking out like that."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Judy assured. "It's good to let out those emotions."

"Take it from someone who's been there," Nick said. "It's a huge burden off your back."

"I realize that now." Riley took another sip of his drink. "Judy, do remember when you first asked if these Templars were the same bullies from childhood?"

Judy simply nodded.

"I said no then. But the truth is that it didn't stop me from imagining the Templars as them when I struck."

The others heard the regret in his voice.

"I thought I could get some relief, but I was wrong and felt very horrible afterward." Riley sighed deeply. "I can't wait until this is over in Zootopia. I don't care how long the peace lasts. I am going to enjoy every single moment of it."

"Speaking of life after," Judy said. "Has Valerie mentioned to you of her considering becoming a police officer?"

Riley looked at his sister with a curious look. "Is that true?"

Valerie shrugged her shoulders "Why not? Judy encouraged me and I've grown to like working with the police despite the pay being different."

He felt happy for her and expressed his support. "Then I won't hold you back if that's your decision. I'll even help you apply."

"Actually Riley, I was hoping you would also apply with me."

"Same with us." Judy said.

This surprised him as he looked between the three.

"Well, I wouldn't mind, but why the recruiting?"

"You see," Judy began. "Nick and I think the ZPD would greatly benefit if someone of your skill and conviction joined the force. Your contribution would be invaluable to us, and I think many officers wouldn't mind learning a few of your skills."

Her compliment brought a smile to Riley. "Why thank you, but I do have obstacles overcome before even applying. First, there must be an age limit for enrolling in the police academy. Then, there's the matter of my background. The twenty-year gap is certainly to be a point of interest."

"We are more than willing to help you with the application process," Nick offered. "Even if that doesn't work out, you can always be a private investigator."

"That does sound appealing. A sort of legal version of my occupation."

"See!" Judy exclaimed. "You can still help out without fighting the law!"

Riley chuckled at her excitement. "You really are adamant about me joining law enforcement."

"You should have seen her when she recruited me. Ow!" Nick turned to meet her glare after being hit on the shoulder.

"Anyways," Riley continued. "I'm happy for the opportunities. It never hurts to have options."

"And even if my brother fails to become a cop, you have my word that I will work hard to succeed." Valerie promised.

Judy smiled at the siblings' bright future.

Riley noted the time on his watch. "We better get going so I can prepare that file for Bogo."

The four left their dishes and trays behind for the servers to retrieve and got one more refill before heading for the door.

"Oh wait!" Judy held her water cup to Nick. "Hold this."

They watched her go to the register and speak with the mammal there. Judy returned seconds later with her paws full of Yum Yum sauce containers.

"You know they do sell bottles of these?" Nick said.

"Really?" Judy beamed with joy.

Nick smirked at her expression. "I'm so going to exploit this newfound weakness!"

Judy returned the gesture. "And I'll respond by exploiting yours."

"Well played."

The siblings quietly chuckled at their banter. The four exited the restaurant and stopped to the side of the entrance.

"This is where we part ways for the night." Riley said.

"Are you sure you don't want an escort?" Judy asked. "Just in case you encounter trouble."

The siblings shook their heads.

"That won't be necessary," Riley said. "We'll be taking more _conventional_ routes."

Judy and Nick understood the meaning.

"Have you had enough practice, Valerie?" Judy asked.

"We'll start the basic route for my safety and work from there."

"Simple parkour then?" Nick guessed.

"Yes," Riley said. "I already have a few routes planned."

"Well good luck then and stay safe!" Judy encouraged.

"See you tomorrow morning!" Nick said.

They shook paws and separated for their homes.

* * *

"What a day!" Judy exclaimed as she and Nick walked back to their separate apartments. "So much work just to eliminate one mammal."

"I agree. Usually, assassins are just given the information and carry out the hit. It's extremely rare to see one performing both the investigation and the contract."

"With everything we did so far, it's hard to see how this can fail."

"That's what concerns me, Fluff. At one point or another, there is always a mistake. No one is immune from them. How else do you think we took down top criminals?" Nick did have a point there. He and Judy always tried to find and exploit a weakness with their enemies throughout their careers as police officers. It was basically part of their jobs. Until Riley announces his plan, all they can do is speculate.

"That depends on where the hit is carried out," Judy said, remembering the previous assassinations. "Knowing Riley, he'll definitely want it where a clean escape is available."

"I doubt that's even possible given how high-profile the bank manager is. Riley will be lucky if he can escape at all if Valerie decides to join him."

"A big if on the last part." Given how large the operation could be and that Hart will make sure Riley fails in the assassination, it's looking more like Valerie will join her brother. If not just to be a lookout.

"We'll focus on that after our meeting with Bogo," Nick said. "Speaking of which, what do you think his reaction will be when he hears that Hart is the mastermind and where the money goes?"

"I think you should be asking how bad he will react."

Nick smiled at her remark. "Whatever it is, I'll be recording. It's always good to have blackmail."

Judy gave him a daggering glare. "You get us in trouble with Bogo, and I will slaughter your ancestor in the Animus many times over!"

Nick simply responded with an infuriating smirk.

* * *

Valerie exited the bathroom dressed in her pajamas, feeling refreshed from a shower. She tossed her dirty clothes and wet towel into the hamper next to the door before walking over to Riley, who had fallen asleep at the computers. Ever since they returned from dinner, Riley has been compiling the necessary information for their meeting with Bogo tomorrow morning. A mischievous idea came to Valerie's head, thinking she get him back for the Bleeding Effect joke. She carefully walked over to the fridge and took out an ice cold bottle of water. Standing near brother, Valerie had her phone out with the recording in one paw and the bottle in the other. _3...2...1..._

Valerie tapped the ice cold bottle on the exposed neck area.

Riley jerked up from the sudden temperature drop on the afflicted neck area "AH! COLD! COLD!"

He snapped his head to the side and saw Valerie sporting a smirk. His eyes then fell on the bottle and phone in paws. It only took him seconds to connect the pieces.

"Shower's free!" Valerie said, still smirking.

Riley groaned and snatched the bottle from her. "Thanks."

She knew he wasn't that upset by the small smile he had just before downing half the bottle. Valerie ended the recording and went to plug it in the charger.

"And just what do you plan on doing with that footage?"

Valerie looked back at Riley winked. "That's a secret!"

Smiling bigger this time, Riley shook his head and finished the bottle.

Valerie stood next to him and saw the pictures and information on the screens. "How's everything coming along?"

"I'm almost done," Riley said, sitting back in the chair. "Just need to organize the contents in a professional and ordered manner."

"That's good," There was one thing that Valerie wanted to address ever since before the Hart investigation. "You know Bogo expects me to be under your care for witness protection. How do you plan on explaining to him that you brought me out on the scouting mission? He didn't even point that out during your conversation with him alone."

"I wondered the same thing too. I think he was more concerned with trying to hide our investigation of the bank robberies than you leaving protection at that moment in time. Bogo will certainly bring that up during our meeting."

"Does he know of our relation?"

Riley shook his head. "Only my first name and that was to appease him. He must not know that. Should the alliance be discovered, I don't want the Templars pressuring Bogo to reveal my identity and compromising everyone involved."

"I understand your reluctance, but what if Bogo figures it out for himself?"

"Then we spill everything and hope he is convinced enough to not endanger Zootopia."

Valerie noticed how tense he became over protecting others from the Templars. She placed a paw on his shoulder and felt him relax. "You need a break, Riley. Take a shower and finish this later. The information will still be here in a half an hour. Besides, come tomorrow you'll be spending all your time planning and carrying out the Banker's assassination."

Riley sighed deeply. "You're right. Things will only get more difficult from here on out. You having to wake me up only proves that." Riley went to gather his pajamas from the drawer underneath the bed. Thirty minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed and in his pajamas, tossing his dirty clothes and wet towel into the hamper. Riley saw Valerie on the bed with her laptop.

She saw him returning to the computers. "Feeling better?"

"Much," He said while sitting down. "I definitely needed that." Riley stretched and cracked his paws before resuming his work.

"Don't stay up too late," Valerie reminded. "We need to be at the ZPD early to avoid drawing attention to ourselves. Which reminds me, how do you plan on getting me in?"

"We'll enter through the roof access I discovered. I suggest waiting in Bogo's office until our meeting with him. The Precinct One officers are already familiar with my appearance."

"I'm going to play devil's advocate here and ask what you would do if Bogo refuses to cooperate in spite of the evidence."

"You and I proceed as plan. Whether Judy and Nick decide to participate is their decision."

"That's what I'm afraid of. We'll be putting them in a difficult situation."

Riley sighed. "I know. The only thing we can do is guide them to make the right decision when the time comes. I'm confident of that."

* * *

At 10 PM, Riley finally completed the file and printed the hard copies. He then secured them in an envelope and got up from the chair to stretch.

"Finally, any longer and I would have intervened!" Valerie exclaimed as she closed her laptop and set it on the floor.

Riley raised a brow at the response. "And what exactly would you have done?"

Valerie responded with a smirk. "It involves a tranquilizer dart."

He crossed his arms at her vague threat. "Unless you have police issued darts, you would only have thirty seconds."

"That is still enough time. Remember?" She said while adjusting her position on the bed.

Riley chuckled as he retrieved his phone and plugged it into the charger near the nightstand. He tapped the phone a few times before setting it down. "Okay, the alarm is set for 5:30. We need to leave for the ZPD at 6:30 and be there by 7."

The siblings slipped into their own comforters before Riley turned off the light. An hour later, sleep overcame Riley, but it continued to evade Valerie.

After tossing and turning in bed, she finally looked at her brother and spoke. "Riley?"

The whisper was loud enough to stir him. "Hmm?" Riley looked over to her. "What is it?"

"I'm worried. Not of our victory or survival, but of our _occupations_ getting out. I kept tracked of your work and heard terrible things said about you, Riley. It's honestly alarming. Do you ever worry about that?"

Her brother nodded. "Ever since the reporter's death, but it's why I take extra precautions to keep my, well our occupations a secret. Blocking out distractions is the most difficult part of the assassinations."

"I'm also dreading that moment. Not even training in the Animus experience and my own advice are comforting me. What if I make a mistake when carrying out the kill?" Her voice sounded more pleading near the end.

Riley reached out and cupped her cheek with his paw. "It won't come to that. I promise. As long as you remain calm, the worse you can do is botch where you strike."

Valerie looked away nervously. "Let's not think on that."

Riley chuckled. "Feeling better now?"

Valerie smiled. "A little."

"Good enough. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow's a busy day."

She nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Feeling more comfortable, the siblings relaxed and let sleep overtake them from there.

* * *

 **Now for the main reasons the lack of updates.  
**

 **After Halloween, I was failing three courses so I had to shift my focus. Sadly, I only salvaged one of them but at least I didn't get F's in the other two to dangerously lower my GPA. Naturally, this killed my motivation to write. Even after recovering, the creative juices didn't flow for this story so I worked on the Christmas story and Valentine's one-shot. It turns out that writing WildeHopps and a little soul-searching for me helps get out of the funk.**

 **Second reason. I had a difficult time writing the backstory for my OC's. In the earlier chapters, I introduced the idea of them being unlucky because of the myth that black cats are unlucky. But the original idea for the Zootopian version didn't work out so I had to scrap it and start over. Trust me. I was disappointed, but I'll let you be the judge. For me, I'm satisfied with it.**

 **Spring break is coming up for me so hopefully I can get a draft done and have the next chapter up by the end of March, but I make no promises. (This is officially the longest chapter I have written so far with or without the author notes.)**


	20. Impasse or End?

**This chapter is shorter than the ones recently published, but it's important nonetheless to the overall story.**

* * *

That morning, Chief Bogo stared at the four mammals sitting across from him in the conference room of Precinct One. Two days had passed since he allowed Nick and Judy to investigate Hart's role in the bank robberies with Riley and Valerie. Learning from their quick success on the missing mammals and subsequent corruption of Bellwether, he was not surprised to see them have findings in that two day period. Bogo would prefer meeting in his office, but Riley convinced him before the morning assignments to move it to the conference room. To Bogo, it made no difference. He was more interested in their findings.

Bogo was also concerned for Valerie when he did not see her with Riley when coming in this morning. Only told by the hybrid that she and he would be waiting for them in the room. So it surprised Bogo to see Valerie wearing similar attires as Riley. He would need to have a few words with Riley later about putting a targeted civilian in danger. He also hoped and prayed that Hopps and Wilde did not have to wear those outfits. After the morning assignments, he, Nick, and Judy went to the conference room and were currently sitting in silence with the siblings.

"Well, what did you find?" Bogo finally demanded.

Riley sighed deeply. "You're not going to like this."

The Chief scoffed. "Riley. Let me tell you that in my many years as police chief, I have discovered all sorts of crimes and secrets from the worst criminals to our own police mammals. Given the events of these past few weeks, I doubt anything you will say is going to surprise me anymore."

Riley looked to Valerie and the officers and saw them gave a nod. With the acknowledgment, he turned his attention back to Bogo. "Wesley Hart is robbing the Bank of Zootopia."

It became deathly quietly in the conference room as Judy, Nick, Valerie, and Riley waited for Bogo's reaction. The Chief remained still, his stare turning into a glare. The four swore they could see his eye twitching and a vein pulsing on his forehead. Judy and Valerie fidgeted nervously under his glare while Nick and Riley remained expressionless. Nick and the siblings had the benefit of shielding their eyes from the menacing glare: the outfit's beaked hood for the siblings and the shades for Nick. While it was directed at all of them, Judy felt singled out from the lack of protection and hated that vulnerability.

"And by robbing you mean—" Bogo asked, desperately hoping it wasn't the worst case scenario.

"He's the mastermind."

Bogo's glare shifted to Riley. Valerie and the officers sat back and remained silent. To them, it was a case of an unstoppable object meeting an unmovable object. The question is which one is which.

"Please…tell me…you have proof of this." Bogo stipulated, each word growing colder.

Riley stood up from his chair and walked over to him. Standing before the Chief, he pulled out four files and laid them out open in front of Bogo. "It's all here, and I made sure that Hopps and Wilde performed tasks that were well within the law." He returned to his seat, and the four waited as Bogo put on his reading glasses and read through their investigation.

They were confident that the evidence was enough to incriminate Hart to the bank robberies. Even with Riley's editing. Minutes passed as the Cape buffalo scrutinized every single detail. If there was any hint of questionable actions, Bogo only found them in Riley and Valerie's files, much to his relief. The last thing he needed was Judy and Nick overstepping their bounds. Granted, they occasionally broke police protocol in their years as police partners. But he knew Hopps and Wilde ultimately upheld the law.

The Chief finally placed his hooves on his forehead and took a long deep sigh. "As if corrupted mayors weren't enough…" He turned his attention directly at Riley. "And what is exactly Hart's role with these mammals?" Bogo knew the difference between being a collaborator and being a member.

"He's a member."

Bogo didn't know whether to lash out at Riley or remain silent at his blunt answers. Regardless, they provided him with the necessary evidence to request an arrest warrant. All in the room agreed that Wesley Hart needed to be stopped before Zootopia lost more money. Now came the difficult part.

"Very well, we'll prepare a search and arrest warrant after the meeting," The Chief closed the files and gathered them together. "But first, I want to discuss your future actions against Hart."

"Yes, let's."

Valerie and the officers watched as the two forces collided.

Bogo removed his reading glasses before continuing. "I will be forward with you Riley. The ZPD does not authorize any assassination. That power resides solely within City Hall and the governments, and I certainly doubt they will authorize it either."

"I do not expect you or City Hall to assist me in eliminating Hart. That would only allow these mammals to further discredit the city officials and enforcement. The task will fall to me and Valerie if she wishes to accompany me."

The siblings and officers already knew of Valerie's decision. But for the sake of Bogo, they decided to keep that a secret until the time came.

"So what is it that you want then?" Bogo continued.

"Fortunately for you, Valerie and I have no plans on infiltrating the bank to assassinate the manager."

Hearing that shocked Bogo. He had been wondering how Riley would pull off that assassination. "Oh, and what is preventing the mammal that has a record of infiltrating and escaping our attempts at high security?"

"Those differences are Wesley Hart staying inside the bank all day and my increasing notoriety. I'm only one mammal."

They could see a smirk form on the buffalo's face, knowing he took great satisfaction at Riley's humility. "I never thought I see the day that you would be brought down a level or two."

"Just telling you the truth, Chief. If this was 1868, you would hear about a murder in Zootopia's biggest bank a few days from now."

"Glad we don't live in those times anymore."

Riley chuckled at the statement. "That depends on who you ask." But the conversation quickly became serious again as Riley leaned forward on the table. "But I will make this clear. Wesley Hart must be caught in the act or any chance of bringing him down is zero with the amount of influence these mammals have. They will do everything in their power to get the case thrown out or settled out of court."

"While I agree on that from the information, it doesn't address the main issue." Bogo reminded.

"With all due respect Chief Bogo, I believe you have seen enough from these mammals to understand why I ended their lives and will do so for those remaining," Nothing Bogo could say will convince him otherwise, but Riley still asked a question to not get arrested. "Give me one good reason why I should stay my blade from the remaining mammals?"

"I'm glad you asked. Has it ever occurred to you that those remaining can reveal the identities of others in Zootopia and beyond?"

"One step ahead of you there, Chief." He already knew they were the only Templars left in Zootopia for now and that the Brotherhoods beyond the city would inform the Order of their movements.

Bogo grunted and clenched his hooves in frustration. "Then do you have incriminating evidence on them?"

"Not publicly. But none of that concerns you."

Bogo slammed his hooves down on the table, finally at his limit with Riley. "Every single thing about this concerns me!" He roared. His loud voice and display of anger caused the four to flinch and lean back. "Do you not understand the consequences of your actions? Do you even care what happens to Zootopia?" He instantly pointed his hoof at Judy, Nick, and Valerie, who had remained silent since the beginning of the meeting. All three flinched at the gesture and attention directed at them. "You three! How do you not have any issues with this?!" Bogo then focused his glare on Nick and Judy. "Especially you two?! You are content with letting a murder happen!"

Riley remained silent, letting them speak for themselves.

Judy finally mustered the courage to speak. "It does, sir. One hundred percent. But we've seen enough to understand that this is a necessary evil."

"Remember sir," Nick continued. "These mammals tried to kill us when we were in Tundratown. They have no issue with whom or what they destroy and will not stop until they achieve their goals."

"Need I also remind you, Chief Bogo, that I was a victim of them and can testify those claims," Valerie said. "They had no regard for my concerns before I was rescued."

"You see, Chief?" Riley said. "They are concerned just as the two of us are, but they understand that what is going on now does not compare to what can happen if these mammals aren't eliminated! What the public does not know will not hurt them."

It was Bogo's turn to lean forward. "Then why don't you tell that to the victims of the Tundratown earthquake? I'm sure they'll appreciate that."

The four froze at the statement. Not even Riley could deny that. Guilt swept through him, Nick, and Judy. Despite their best efforts, actions from both sides had begun affecting the very city and citizens they swore to protect. Valerie could only imagine their experience when it occurred but vividly remembered the emergency chaos that occurred in the hospital that night.

Bogo's statement also raised an interesting point. The four knew how far the Templars are willing to go to achieve their Zootopia. But how far would they go? In their quest to save the city, would they end up destroying it? Now that the topic had been raised and they had time to reflect on their actions, the current path seems to be heading that way.

The guilt and the realization overwhelmed Judy as memories from the chaos surfaced. Tears formed in her eyes as Judy slowed covered her mouth with her paws. Nick quickly noticed this and wrapped his arms around Judy, trying to absolve her of the Templars' actions. Bogo and the siblings turned to them when they heard her crying.

The Chief instantly felt remorseful at the reactions received. The buffalo knew his limits when holding individuals accountable for their actions, but the current atmosphere had pushed everyone in the room the edge. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive." His voice being softer.

"No, you're right," Riley conceded. "It's not the first time I have to be reminded. But do take care to remember that Valerie and I aren't the only ones who have to witness these things." He subtly motioned to Nick and Judy next to him.

"Duly noted." He was fortunate that none of them glared at him for his behavior moments ago.

"Still, we're at an impasse over the bank manager's fate."

"Yes, I want to keep him and these mammals alive, and you will not call off your assassinations."

"So what is to be done then?"

"That, Riley, will be your decision."

All eyes were on him as he sat back in the chair with his arms crossed. They didn't think this would happen so soon, but it should come to no surprise given how many Templars had fallen so fast. Nick and Judy didn't want to choose between fighting with the siblings or arresting them. Valerie still needed more training if she and her brother fought alone, and Bogo dreaded on having to fight two Assassins. Ultimately, none of them were ready to deal with the fallout. They hoped that Riley shared their worries and would make the right decision.

"I'm still not backing down," The four collectively held their breaths as they braced themselves for the worst. "But I can give you an alternative."

His sister and friends let out a huge sigh of relief, happy that the status quo remained for the time being.

Bogo was satisfied also. It may not have been the answer he wanted, but it's better than the disaster that could have occurred. "What alternative?"

"I've given you my reasons for not backing down, so aside from that, what else do you want?"

A smirk appeared on the buffalo's face at the question. "I thought you would never ask. It's about time you started making concessions to us."

"Don't get carried away," Riley warned. "You asked me not to abuse the ZPD so please do the same for me."

"I promise. Now I want you to tell me everything about you and these mammals."

"You need to be more specific."

"I'm no fool, Riley. You clearly have a history with them. Yes, you gave us information from your official introduction, but I want to know the details so I can understand the hostilities better. As I mentioned before, you have my trust me that the information will remain between the five of us until you are ready."

After considering the request, Riley pulled out the sealed file from his outfit and placed it on the table. This time, he slid the file over to the Chief. "This isn't everything, but it's enough for an explanation." The four sat in silence again as Chief Bogo undid the seal and pulled out the contents on the Assassins and Templars. As with the investigation files, the buffalo tried to scrutinize every detail but found himself more engrossed at the vast secrecy.

Finally, Bogo looked up at Riley, with an exasperated look. "You mean to tell me that a war has been going on at the expense of the city?!" His tone being low but deathly.

"Yes, and I am willing to answer your questions. Everything short of full access."

Bogo raised an eyebrow, more curious about the restriction than irritated. "And what do I have to do to gain full access?"

"Join the Assassins or see enough for an explanation."

He immediately scoffed at the audacity of joining what he knows to be a group of killers. "Not even if you put that blade to my throat will I take the first option."

"Not surprised," Riley shifted in his seat to get more comfortable. "This Q&A session could take a while. Hopps and Wilde don't have to be here. Valerie can leave too since she was forced into this."

"You're right." He directed his attention to Nick and Judy. "Hopps, Wilde, you're dismissed."

"I'll see you soon, Valerie," Riley said.

The three quickly got up from their chairs and exited the conference room, leaving Riley and Bogo alone. They wasted no time retreating to the bullpen to have the conversation. There, they saw no one else in the room and let out a collective sigh of relief inside.

"Sweet cheese and crackers! That was a close one!" Judy exclaimed, pulling on her ears.

"Too right, Judy," Valerie said. "But you can't blame Riley for not backing down."

"No," Nick said. "But he is putting the Chief in a dilemma. It would have been better if Buffalo Butt was still in the dark with all this."

"Could it?" Valerie asked. "He would eventually question your extended absence and unauthorized investigations."

"True," Judy admitted. "I only hope whatever information Riley brought with him is enough."

"But Bogo did bring up a good point," Valerie said. "What will you two do if this partnership is severed and you're asked to bring Riley in?"

The question slightly dampened the mood.

"I don't know," Judy said with her ears drooping and nose twitching. "I wish we could keep this partnership, but the Templars' deaths are quickly changing that. I don't want to have to choose between my badge and this!"

"Neither do I, but I have a feeling that we must," Nick said. "This all depends on how much of a setback Hart's assassination will be."

* * *

The three decided to change topics for the time being. Finally, the door to the bullpen opened and Riley entered the room, closing the door behind him. Their attention was on the black hybrid as they waited for the outcome of the meeting. Riley grabbed a chair and sat down with his arms crossed on the backseat. A few more seconds of silence passed before Nick finally spoke up.

"Well?"

"Bogo now has a better understanding of the conflict. He'll try to be more tolerable with my methods."

"Okay, and what of the assassination?" Judy asked, anxious for the answer.

Riley sighed deeply. "We agreed to disagree for now. We're focusing on preventing Hart from embezzling more money."

The others groaned at the massive unresolved issue.

"Better than the worst," Valerie said. "Any ideas expose the bank manager?"

"All I know is that I can't use my method of drawing him out. Not that it will make any significant difference. One thing for certain is that Valerie and I need to stay out of sight so direct contact with him by us is out of the question. You two can try to get a confession but his paranoia puts him on high alert."

"No matter what we do, we have to go into his territory." Nick said.

Riley sighed. "It was bound to happen, but this is normal for high-ranking Templars. They don't have all that power for nothing." He stretched his arms and stood up. "I need pie and milkshake."

"Huh?" Judy said, taken aback by his next move.

"Pie and milkshake?" Nick asked, trying to understand the same thing.

"It's his relaxation method," Valerie said. "He always does it when trying to solve a difficult problem."

"Sometimes those answers come when you're not focused on the problem itself," Riley explained. "It also helps that you don't mention the problem while enjoying the treats."

"Tell that to Carrots here," Nick said while pointing a finger at Judy. "She insists on spending every moment dedicated to whatever case Buffalo Butt puts us on." He quickly braced himself for the incoming hit from her and was met with a paper ball to the head.

"Well excuse me!" Judy chided. "We're only trying to save lives here!"

"Yes, but unless those leads are on a deadline overworking yourself will do no good." Nick retorted.

Judy humph and glared at the fox while crossing her arms, knowing he had been right before.

Proving his point, Nick returned his attention to the siblings with an enthusiastic look. "So…for the record?"

"Apple pie and a vanilla shake," Riley answered.

Nick's face formed into a scowl. "Booooo! Blueberries all the way!" He then looked to Valerie, hoping she had his tastes. "And your flavor?"

"Same thing except with cherry pie."

"BOOOOO!" This time a little louder and with his paws around his muzzle.

The siblings chuckled at the display.

"We do like blueberries," Valerie said. "It's just not our favorite flavors."

"If you want blueberry pie and milkshake so bad, you can get them yourselves." Riley offered.

Nick placed his paws on the hips, pretending to take on the offer. "Maybe I will!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Judy interjected. "Not until we get some paperwork done!"

Nick whined at hearing the dreaded word as his façade vanished. "But those sound so good right now!"

"And you can wait until lunch to get them."

"We can text you the place if you want once we're eating." Valerie offered.

"Yes, please!" Nick begged.

"You'll love it. They have great pie." Riley said, giving them a two-finger salute. "We're going to change first. See you later."

Riley and Valerie left for the treats as Judy and Nick went to their cubicle and filled out paperwork. While Judy worked at her normal pace, Nick was too distracted at the thought of Riley's relaxation method to get any work done. Judy finally noticed his slow progress from the lack of writing on his side.

"Nick, what are you doing?" She irritably said.

He grabbed his head in a panic and turned around in his chair. "I can't stop thinking about it, Fluff!"

Judy shook her head and sighed. "It's just pie and milkshake."

"I know, but the way they said it gave me the cravings!"

"Ugh!" Judy tried to ignore him and get back to work, but Nick's distraction was making it difficult. She needed to do something lest she suffers through his moans for hours until their break. "How about this, Nick? If you can keep quiet and get some paperwork done, then we can catch an early lunch."

No response came from Nick after a few seconds.

Judy turned around in her seat to see him furiously writing through the paperwork. She couldn't resist a smirk at how easy that was. "Slow down there! Quality over quantity!" She watched the writing pace decrease to a more normal pace. Judy shook her head and returned to her portion of paperwork. "Dumb fox." She whispered. But at least the bunny had another weapon to use against the fox.

* * *

 **One year...has it really been over a year since the story was first published? Wow, time flies. For a crossover such as this, I'm surprised at the amount of attention it has received. I am humbly grateful for you readers giving your time and feedback to this story. For those who have played the games, you know this story isn't over till all the Templars are dead, but they will make it difficult. Stay tuned for more!**

 **I'll end this chapter with a history behind my OCs. Back when I drafted the story, I was undecided on the species and left it ambiguous. This worked out since the most of the beginning is from the ZPD perspective. The choice to make the OCs feline hybrids came from this game called Skyrim where one of the race options is a feline mix called a Khajiit with proficiency in stealth and agility. (My first choice when playing the game for the first time and fell in love with it ever since. But I digress) That's not all. Khajiit are usually mistrusted because of racial prejudice originating from most of them being drug dealers, thieves, and...wait for it...assassins. :) You can see how the descriptions can fit in the Zootopia universe with certain species.**


	21. Follow the Money

**6 months later, a new chapter has arrived!**

 **First, I would like to thank wildefox25 for offering and being a proofreader. After twenty chapters, this story finally has an editor!**

 **Second, school is normally the reason for the long gap, but there's another reason. I had the honor of participating in a collaboration project called What if...? by Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend you check it out for not only my contribution, but also that of other authors in the fandom. It's a collection of short stories of Nick and Judy in many different scenarios and I can honestly say that everyone else's stories so far have been amazing with many more to come. I'll finish off by mentioning that my story will be posted to my profile...eventually.**

* * *

Located in heart of the city, the Bank of Zootopia was the largest and one of the oldest banks. The institution serves thousands of mammals, from the average citizens to a few celebrities. The bank held a prestigious and honorable reputation that rivals the Lemmings Bank. But now a hidden secret about its current manager was about to be revealed that will only increase Zootopia's current troubles with the Assassin's _rampage_ and the earthquake recovery.

Nick and Judy rode in their cruiser up the parking garage where Riley had told them to meet with him and Valerie. The location was across the street from the bank and it gave them a perfect view to scout. Before arriving, the officers turned off their dash cam to prevent their contact with the Assassins from being recorded. On the eighth floor, the duo saw the siblings and parked in an empty spot near them. Nick and Judy came out their cruiser and approached the two.

"Morning," Riley greeted and smiled. "Did you enjoy the time off?"

"Eh," Nick said, moving his head sideways. "I wouldn't call it that if the time was spent on paperwork."

"Hey!" Judy objected. We went out for pie and milkshake like you wanted!"

Valerie smiled and nodded once. "Ah, you did the same. Happy to hear that,"

After taking yesterday off to recuperate, the four were ready to begin the long operation of defunding the Templars. The first step was to perform a reconnaissance on the target's location and strength. Since the ZPD wished to limit their contact with the Assassins, the task fell to the police duo and siblings. But the department was generous enough to provide them with limited police sources.

"Oh, before we begin," Judy pulled out a dossier and gave it to Riley. "This is the information on the robberies given by the bank when they first reported it. Chief told us about it before we came here."

Riley was surprised at the revelation. "Wow, this will help a lot. Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Judy smiled.

The black feline nodded and briefed the officers, "Here's the plan. Valerie and I will remain outside to scout for the security detail. A dry run for the armored trucks has also been scheduled today so we'll keep a lookout for them. Meanwhile, you two go inside and conduct your normal police investigation. When you do meet with Hart, remember that he will throw anyone under the bus if it means covering up the crimes so take his words with a grain of salt."

"Even if he does," Judy said. "Our body cams will capture him lying to the police, so he'll be brought up on those charges."

"Your cameras are off right now correct?" Riley asked, concerned that they may have forgotten to do so before arriving.

Nick huffed and crossed his arms. "You need to have more faith in us, Riley."

Riley put his paws up and conceded. "Just making sure."

"I got to ask," Judy said. "Why aren't the Templars embezzling money from the City Treasury? They have someone inside who can divert the funds."

"The problem is there are too many possible whistleblowers," Riley said. "Also, the accounts are heavily audited. Banks are a more controlled environment if that makes any sense."

Judy could not help but make a connection. "This feels like planning a bank robbery. Only we're trying to stop one."

"We share your feelings," Valerie said. "But you've busted plenty of other robberies before."

"Yeah," Nick said. "But as we said, this Assassin/Templar conflict puts things in a different perspective."

"Try not to dwell too much on the matter," Riley said. "This mission is crucial in arresting Hart."

"What do you take us for Riley?" Nick said, feigning offense.

He chuckled. "You know me. Anyways, don't start until everyone is in position and let us know when it's done. We don't want to distract you when we finish."

"Safety and peace upon you," Valerie said.

Nick and Judy watched the siblings pull the hoods over their heads and go over to the opening. The officers watched them fire their rope launchers and disappear in seconds.

Once certain they were away, Nick let out a grumble, "They could have at least given us a ride down,"

"Stop being lazy Nick," Judy chastised. "It will give us time to review the plan."

After securing their cruiser, the officers descended to the street and walked across to the bank. On the way, they prepared for their interview with Hart and checked if their recording devices were operational. They reached the entrance just Valerie's voice came through their radio pieces.

"Judy. Nick. We have a visual on you from our location."

Nick reached for his and responded. "I bet the view up there must be nice."

"Wish you could join us." Riley humored before becoming serious again. "Alright, let's begin."

"Good luck you two," Judy said. "We're heading inside now."

* * *

Riley and Valerie watched the officers enter the bank. Once Nick and Judy disappeared inside, the siblings changed radio frequencies and moved down to street level. They separated to get a better view from different angles.

Valerie reported in first, "Security appears light on the outside."

"So that means it will be either heavy on the inside or there is a separate team on standby. Alright, let's check the entrance for the armored trucks. Let me know if you find anything on the way."

"Understood."

Riley and Valerie continued on across the rooftops, using eagle vision to highlight anything of interest on their path. In truth, Riley planned this to further train Valerie. The objective was for her to become accustomed to using the rooftops to reach their objectives. The mission in the Rainforest District had tested how she could work alone. A few minutes later, the two reunited on the roof nearest to the underground entrance.

"Find anything?" Riley asked.

"I found other entrances, but those need clearance and have cameras watching."

"Same for me. It's no surprise for Zootopia's biggest bank to have cameras watching from every angle."

"What do we do now?"

"We wait for the armored trucks. When they leave the garage, you're going to attach a tracking device, so I can map their general route."

Valerie shook her head once in hopes she heard things correct, "You want me to do what?!" She was surprised her brother would task her with something vital.

Riley revealed the small device. "If you can hack into a computer inside a Templar home, then attaching a tracker should not be difficult. Besides, I know you're still learning so I'm having you fire from the brace instead of getting up close. You just need to place on one of the trucks. We can't do it as they enter, or we'll be caught." Riley placed his paw on her shoulder. "It'll be alright. I trust you."

Valerie sighed deeply and took the device. "Okay," Just as he said, the tracker fitted perfectly in the projectile slot of the brace. "By the way, aren't these vehicles equipped with tracking devices to make sure they get to their destinations? How do the Templars even get them past detection?"

"My guess is our kangaroo Templar at City Hall arranges for the security to allow detours under the guise of alternate routes."

"And I assume she uses the money from the branch to pay them off."

"Now you're thinking like an Assassin."

Valerie smiled and winked, "Learning through the Animus and from an actual Brother helps."

Riley acknowledged her comment with a smile of his own and motioned her to start moving. His sister affirmed the order, dropped down to street level and moved in one direction while he remained on the roof. Valerie knew this was a real life test on waiting for your targets and objectives. With the truck's schedule unknown to them, the siblings must remain alert.

Valerie was scouting for potential locations to fire the tracker from when she heard her brother's voice through the radio. "The trucks are approaching. I repeat. The trucks are approaching."

The white feline looked left then right and saw the vehicles approaching from the latter. "I see them."

"We're going to assume they'll leave in the same direction they arrived in. I'll be opposite of you with a spare tracker in case they change routes. Have you found a spot yet?"

"Yes, but I think I can find a better location now that I know the direction."

"You're free to do so. Just let me know when you're in position."

The radio went silent and the siblings watched the trucks drive to the lone security mammal at the entrance. A few moments later, the trucks were cleared and entered the garage. Riley and Valerie quickly moved into position. To better conceal their identity and since the police had footage of Riley in his top hat, the two wore sports caps to avoid drawing attention from the hoods.

Riley and Valerie understood how critical this part of the mission was. If they failed, it could be months before another opportunity arrives and to them, that was too much time to wait and the Templars would be one step closer to their goals. On top of that, they along with Nick and Judy had no clue how this would affect the city in the meantime. But in the midst of the urgency, the four remained calm and focused on their current tasks.

Because of the security parameters, Riley and Valerie relied on their eagle vision to locate the trucks when they reappear. Whichever direction the vehicles turned in, the two would be ready to intercept.

During the wait, Valerie looked up the schematics for the vehicles sent by her brother. The goal was to find a blind spot where she could attach the tracker undetected. In the end, the only ideal spot was from above. Valerie searched her surrounding area for an elevated position. To her fortune, she found a fire escape and was currently perched there. She adjusted her position to get a view of the road when the trucks reappeared.

"Riley, I see them!"

"Copy that."

The vehicles rode up the ramp and the siblings saw them slowly turn in Valerie's direction.

"They're coming my way!"

"Do you have the tracker ready?"

"Yes."

"Then don't hesitate. I'll be moving ahead for a second chance if needed."

The conversation ended, and the siblings took action. Valerie raised her arm and anxiously waited for the trucks. She only needed to focus ahead of her and anticipate the trucks' movements. The white hybrid controlled her breathing to calm down and not let the thought of failure distract her. Valerie also held the projectile arm with her other arm to steady the aim and activate eagle vision to assist.

The yellow glow of the armored trucks appeared in her sight and Valerie wasted no time firing the tracker. She held her breath and watched the device's yellow glow cut through the air, hoping her timing wasn't off. The tracker hit its mark on top of one of the armored trucks. Valerie released a sigh of relief and reported the success.

"I got it!"

"Excellent work, Valerie! I knew you could do it!"

She smiled from a job well done before refocusing on the mission. "Now what?"

"Meet me back at the parking garage. We'll track the trucks there while waiting for Nick and Judy."

"See you soon."

* * *

Inside the bank, Nick and Judy were met with a grand sight to behold. The colors and activity appealed to the eyes. Different areas were sectioned off to accommodate different sized mammals. They could only imagine the behind the scenes. It was no surprise the Zootopia's biggest bank tried to appeal to potential customers. There were many offices and tellers throughout the building to assist mammals with their business.

Before going further, Nick and Judy used eagle vision to initially assess the number of mammals collaborating with the Templars, knowingly or unknowingly. They had to stifle their reaction at the amount of red in their vision. Riley had warned that Hart would pay the mammals to keep quiet and it was only their previous undercover operations that helped lessened the magnitude.

After calming down, Nick and Judy approached the male goat receptionist to arrange a meeting with the bank manager. Fortunately for them, he did not appear in eagle vision.

"Excuse me?" Judy asked.

The goat looked up from his work and saw them. He greeted them with a friendly smile. "Hello officers. What can I help you with?"

Nick took the lead. "We're here to investigate the bank robberies that have been going on here."

The goat's face lit up with joy at the reason for their visit. "Oh, thank goodness! I didn't think the police would come. Things have been quite tense ever since we found out."

"We can only imagine," Judy said. "May we speak to Wesley Hart? We want to ask him a few questions that only he would have answers to."

The goat nodded and picked up the desk phone. "Yes! Yes! I'll notify him of your arrival. Hopefully he's not too busy to schedule a meeting. You can sit down and wait in the lobby in the meantime."

"Thank you," Nick said.

He and Judy proceeded to the chairs and sat down but not before picking up two cups coffee for himself and Judy from a nearby pot. The bunny thanked him and accepted the beverage. Nick and Judy waited for the news of their meeting.

Judy finished another sip when she finally spoke. "How much truth do you expect Hart to say?"

"He'll give us the facts and then try to mislead us with suspects."

Judy shot Nick a curious look. "I'm interested to hear what he will say. There's only so much."

"Remember that we're also restricted. You and I must pretend that we don't know of his Templar ties."

Judy groaned. "I hate this! We've done this before so why does this feel so nerve-wracking?"

"I feel you, Carrots. Like Riley said, we just need to treat this as a normal investigation. You do all the talking while I try to get a read."

The doe calmed down and took another sip of coffee. "You know I just realized something. We're performing an undercover operation in our uniforms. It feels weird."

"Nothing about this whole thing has been normal since we first took the case. Then again, it happens all the time for each new crime spree."

The officers continued to wait until a female stoat employee approached them. Most likely a representative for small mammals. "Officers Hopps and Wilde, Mr. Hart will see you now. If you'll please follow me."

Nick and Judy performed a quick check through eagle vision and the stoat did not appear in red. Assured, they got up and threw away their empty cups before following the employee to the back. While the behind the scenes were not as extravagant as the lobby, the system in place was vast nonetheless. But Nick and Judy remained focused on the upcoming meeting as they were dealing with a group of mammals on high alert. The bunny followed through on the advice given to her, and the fox used that and his previous hustles to remain calm.

The three finally arrived at an office and Nick and Judy saw the sign on the door that read Wesley Hart, Manager of the Bank of Zootopia.

"Here we are." The stoat said. "You can go right in when you're ready."

"Thank you," Judy said.

She nodded and returned to her work, leaving the officers alone in front of the door. They turned on their body cams and waited the thirty seconds before audio could be recorded.

"Any info on Hart's behavior I should know about before we enter, Carrots?" Nick asked. He hoped to prepare something with Judy's limited observation on the Templar.

"He's extremely paranoid about the whole thing. Hart especially didn't like meeting with the remaining Templars out in public, so he will likely feel more secure in his office."

"That'll be more than enough. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Ready?"

Nick nodded and after thirty seconds passed, Judy reached for the knob and opened the door where the sight of an extravagant office greeted the officers. At the other end of the room, Wesley Hart sat at his desk. Their entrance brought the Templar deer's attention away from his work.

He put on a friendly smiled and waved them in. "Officers Hopps and Wilde! Please come in!"

The two entered and closed the door behind them. They could only spare a glance to the room's details, but it was enough to form a background on the deer. When Nick and Judy sat down, their eyes fell upon the incriminating red cross necklace around the deer's neck. Riley's words about their familiarity rang true as the two would have just passed it off as a normal piece of jewelry. They were thankful for the body cameras currently recording the footage.

"I'm glad you're here officers," Hart said. "And don't be deceived by the lobby appearance. All the employees are anxious. Our customers have been threatening to close their accounts and move to another bank if this continued."

"Every bank's worst nightmare," Nick said.

Judy pulled out her carrot pen and notepad, "If you provide us the necessary information, we'll stop the thefts,"

"You have my full cooperation."

Nick and Judy held back a scoff at the hollow words.

Judy opened to a page on the notepad and got her carrot pen ready. "Let's start from the beginning. When did you first notice the robberies?"

"A few months ago, our auditors noticed an anomaly when conducting their quarterly reports and brought it to my attention. We had a discussion and discovered it was an error in the numbers and closed the investigation. I even approved to cover the losses, so we could move on. But then it happened again, and the auditors began to notice a pattern during the second investigation."

"Yes," Nick said. "Chief Bogo informed us that a different branch of the bank is robbed every fiscal quarter. It's the classic never hit the same place twice."

"Indeed," Hart continued. "Despite our efforts, the robberies still occur under our noses. This institution is fortunate to have not collapsed with the amount of money stolen."

Judy tapped her pen on the notepad. "Hmm, did your investigation turn up any information?"

"It's all in the report submitted to the ZPD."

"Right," Nick said. "We just received it this morning from Bogo."

"Do you know any possible suspects and motives?" Judy continued.

"All we know for certain is that it must be an inside job. The vault to the money is designed so that only those with access can enter and as an added measure, it takes two mammals to unlock."

"How many mammals have access besides you?" Judy asked.

"The head of security and those within my ranks."

"Interesting," Nick said. "Would it be possible for you to give us access for future investigations?"

"You have my permission to do so. Just always check in at the reception desk when you come and go."

"We appreciate your assistance, Mr. Hart. "Judy said.

"You're welcome. Is that all you have for me?"

"Yes, thank you for your cooperation," Nick said.

"You have our word that we will catch the thieves," Judy said.

"You're welcome. I'll have you escorted back out."

The officers bid him goodbye just when his desk phone rang. Nick and Judy heard him speak to the mammal on the other side as they removed themselves from his office. The officers turned off their cameras and only needed to wait a few minutes outside when the stoat from earlier approached them.

Nick grinned at the coincidence. "Hello again!"

The stoat let out a small chuckle at the remark. "Yes indeed! You ready to leave?"

"Yes please," Judy said.

She nodded and escorted the officers. Having become familiar with her, Nick and Judy struck up a small conversation with the employee while they walked. It helped pass the time and they soon arrived at their destination.

"Here we are," The stoat said. "We hope to see you again."

She waved them goodbye and left them alone again. After their meeting ended, Nick and Judy wasted no time exiting the bank and returning to the siblings, eager to get away from Templar presence. They remained calm in their movement to avoid drawing attention from the employees and customers.

* * *

Back in the parking garage, Riley was monitoring the trucks while Valerie kept a lookout for the officers and other vehicles that may drive to their location. They had changed back into civilian clothing to avoid suspicion. Valerie nudged her brother and he looked up to see Nick and Judy approaching. They could see them visibly sag in relief upon arrival.

"Wow," Valerie said. "You two look like this is your first undercover operation."

"Trust us," Judy said. "Everyone we know who's done this will have the same reaction."

"The false front can only be put up for so long before it collapses," Nick added.

"So, what's the report?" Riley asked, wanting to return to the task at paw.

"To paraphrase Bellwether, we're outnumbered ten to one," Nick said.

"Not the first time the Assassins have been in this situation," Riley said. "You can give me your report once we're safe."

"What about you two?" Judy asked.

"We tagged the trucks and have been tracking them while waiting for you," Valerie said.

Riley turned the Exterior Pro around and showed the officers the route of the armored trucks to and from the bank and City Hall. "I don't expect them to follow the same exact path, so I expanded to the radius to cover more ground. They are currently on the return trip. Look."

Nick and Judy saw a red dot on the map that marked the truck's location. All four watched them travel through the city until reaching their destinations. Riley then hit a button that discretely destroyed the tracker. He tapped the screen a few times and revealed the map again, this time highlighting a general area of where the Templars might set up an ambush.

"Dang," Nick said. "This is going to be much more difficult than I thought."

The large scale caused Judy to be concerned. "Riley, we don't have enough officers at our Precinct to cover all possible ambush points. Especially if the Templars go beyond our district on the actual run."

"Don't worry," Riley assured. "Determining the number of locations is the next step. Once the full assessment is made, we can worry about our strength. One last thing, we're only going halfway of the route. The Templars know they'll be setting off red flags if they hijack the trucks near City Hall."

Nick exhaled a sigh of relief. "So thankful for that."

"Let's get moving," Valerie said.

The four entered the police cruiser: Judy in the driver seat, Nick in the front passenger, and the siblings in the back. Riley gave the officers the route and Judy drove onto the path. Once they were away from the bank's vicinity, Nick, Riley, and Valerie scanned their surroundings while Judy focused on driving.

"Any ideas what the Templars will be looking for on ambush locations, Riley?" Nick asked.

"Tunnels ideally," Riley said. "They provide heavy cover and very few escape routes."

"I'm getting flashbacks from the Nighthowlers at the moment," Nick said.

"That reminds me," Judy said. "Do you think they would use the maintenance tunnels?"

"If there is no one around when it takes place, then yes."

"Any locations that don't involve tunnels?" Valerie asked.

"Not unless the armored trucks drive through an isolated area. The Rainforest District would be one because of the vegetation, but I don't see a reason for them to drive through there."

"Tunnels it is then," His sister said. "That also means they'll ambush early in the morning."

"Banks always open at 9 AM on weekdays, so we need to be ready before the Templars arrive. I'd estimate about 7 AM."

Nick groaned at having to get up earlier than he already does in the morning. "As if my mornings aren't already suffering."

The police cruiser continued on the route until a tunnel appeared. The four became more alert as they entered. They kept their eyes out for any maintenance tunnels along the path and noted the width of the lanes. The cruiser reached the end and the mammals found no sign of a maintenance tunnel.

"Alright we can relax a little, but keep your eyes out," Riley said.

"You seem to have a lot of knowledge on this." Judy curiously said.

"Our Order has performed its fair share of ambushes and impersonations. All for the purpose of completing a contract."

The topic of money led to Nick being curious about another aspect of the Assassins. "So aside from looting and scavenging, how exactly do you obtain funds?"

"The same way crime bosses conduct their business. But with fewer restrictions. Usually, those mammals are willing to act as a front for us."

"And I still question how you consider yourselves the good guys," Judy said.

"I never said I was."

Judy caught a smug smile forming on Nick's face. "So, does that mean we can arrest you after the Templars are defeated?"

Riley let out a chuckle. "Touché."

"Although that does bring up an interesting point," Valerie said. "What will happen to me since I willingly joined Riley out of protection?"

The cruiser became silent from her question. Nick and Judy had no proper answer to Valerie's situation. She had been brought in the conflict against her will and then chose to side with someone they had been pursuing for her own safety. This would be something for Chief Bogo to handle. Regardless, the moral dilemma complicated the whole situation.

"How about we set aside that topic for now? It can be settled after the Templars are defeated." Riley said, trying to move on from the awkwardness.

The others nodded and were thankful to not dwell on the matter for the time being. They shifted focus as the cruiser entered another tunnel. This time, everyone kept a lookout for any maintenance tunnels. It appeared they would find nothing until Valerie spotted one.

"I see one!"

The others turned in her direction and saw the road leading into said tunnel. The cruiser got a few seconds to survey before passing by.

"You all got the number for the tunnel?" Riley asked.

"1C," Valerie said.

"We'll check where that leads to, when we're back at the station," Judy said. "Hopefully we get something good. How far are we from the halfway point?"

Riley checked the map, "Two blocks from the end of the tunnel. We can head back to the base and analyze the information. Nick, Judy, does Bogo have anything for you to do today?"

Nick shook his head, "As long as you keep producing results, he won't need us for anything else unless we need to cover for other officers."

* * *

In the underground base, Nick, Judy, Riley, and Valerie analyzed the information from their investigation alongside information from the individual missions. The officers allowed Riley to make copies of their body cam footage. The four finished compiling the information into a report, and they previewed the whole thing before bringing their results to Bogo.

"Okay," Riley said. "Based on this and the previous investigations, we know it's an inside job through impersonating the bank employees. One speculation is they use the armored trucks, which is why we tagged them and mapped their route in the first place and didn't want to wait for another dry run. But there is a major drawback."

"Right," Nick said. "They would only be able to pull that off so many times before the security team catches on. I doubt they could even do it twice."

"Exactly," Riley said. "So, the question now is how else do they use the uniforms and equipment?"

"What about the security team?" Judy asked. "Is it possible that they alter the cameras and then move the money?"

"It seems to be the case the more we evaluate," Nick said. "Then how would they perform the transfer."

Valerie had her paw on her chin in a thinking expression, "My guess is that they use their own transportation for the drop-off and later get their cut after completing their task."

Riley pounded his fist into his palm, "Then we need the names of the security teams if we are to be successful."

"Lucky for you," Nick said. "Hart granted us permission to return for more investigations,"

"We wanted to pursue further," Judy said. "But we felt it wasn't the right time to do so,"

"Good call," Riley said. "We can't risk tipping them off and then have them destroy the evidence. When you visit the bank again, let Valerie and I know."

"You know," Nick said." "This will be a lot easier if you did all this at the station instead of commuting back and forth here and Precinct One. Your Templar at City Hall is bound to pick up the pattern."

Riley crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair, "Unless you want the public to discover to our cooperation, this is the best we got. If you and Judy can find a way where I can work at the station without being caught, then I'm all for it."

"You're going to need it unless you want the police force here," Judy said.

"Fair enough." Riley conceded.

"There's still one thing," Valerie said. "We might need to reach out to other Precincts if yours doesn't have the mammals we need to infiltrate the security team," Valerie said.

"Your sister's right Riley," Judy said. "Our best are still recovering from the night attacks. Never mind those whose bones you broke."

Riley sighed heavily, "Alright, see what you can do about getting an office for us. In the meantime, Valerie and I will continue working on this."

"Trust us," Nick said. "This will be for the benefit of both sides."

The black feline only responded with a look whenever he had to make concessions to which Nick and Judy understood the message.

* * *

 **Planning this took much longer than expected and I had to look at numerous sources for references. Hopefully it won't be as difficult for the rest of the preparation and actual mission.**

 **Thanks for being patient with me and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


End file.
